It Starts with Roses
by LuvMiddleEarth
Summary: A young girl who traveled to Italy literally has a surprise run into her, a surprise that would change her life forward. And the lives of three vampires who have been waiting a long time for her. That decision is not so easy to say yes to. The decision to live with the Volturi involves many dangers for Saphira. Aro Caius Marcus x OC Poly. Rating for violence, lemon, course language
1. Chapter 1

***Reupload***

 **So, I've decided to write a Twilight fanfic. It will be based on the movie version of Twilight. I had considered making Saphira a dragon shape shifter, but that might be for another story. For now, I hope you will enjoy. I shall write the English translations of the Italian words I write in the story at the end of each chapter.**

Saphira had been in Italy for a few weeks now, travelling the country side and seeing all there is to see with her friend Avery. She had taken the opportunity to visit Italy out of interest for the food they made here, and she loved every minute of it. Avery was not quite the foodie Saphira was, but he did enjoy visiting the many restaurants and wineries with Saphira. Now they were back in Venice, ready to head home. They lived in America, but they both did not live in the same towns as each other anymore. That was why they went to Italy as they don't spend much time together anymore. Saphira lived in Forks as an admin manager at the hospital and Avery worked as a bank manager in Washington D.C, so they couldn't see each other very often. With a few hours to spare, Saphira decided to take a walk through the local markets in Venice to see what other flavours were available before she left. Avery would meet her at the airport to head to America. Wearing a black dress with red lace on her sleeves and black flat shoes, Saphira walked through the street looking at the different ingredients, feeling a bit hungry. Her green eyes also scoured the different restaurants she was passing, she did consider purchasing something to eat before heading to airport. But she was not too sure. Saphira was lucky she had learned Italian before leaving as she wanted to be able to talk. Avery didn't take the time to even learn the language so she ended up being the translator for him, which did annoy Saphira but there was not much she could do.

It was busy though. Saphira had to keep excusing herself through the crowd of people but she didn't mind. Checking her phone, she had at least three hours before she could go to the airport. She glanced around and decided she wanted to cross the street. Looking for a crossing, Saphira soon spotted one and glanced either way to see if a car was coming. It seemed on her left the drivers slowed down to give way to her, which was nice. She smiled at them and began walking across, but on her right a black limousine was driving towards the crossing and did not seem to slow down until she was half way across, and she didn't notice until she heard the skid of the brakes. She jumped back and her eyes went wide as the limousine was able to stop just in front of her.

She glared at the window and kicked the bumper of the car. "Guarda dove stai andando!" She yelled at the driver before continuing walking to the other side. "Culo stupido!"

She shook her head, wondering what the hell the driver was doing. Surely, he should have seen her. Limousine or not, no rich person was going to hit her in the street. But she did not have any idea that the beings in the car became very interested in her. Saphira would not notice it, but she might soon and as she walked down the street, trying to shake the sudden experience from her mind. The limousine drove near her and she noticed. The window rolled down and Saphira saw three men, all men with very fine, pale skin and red eyes.

"Sorry about our driver, signora, we want to extend our apologies to you," The first man who spoke had long, black hair. He seemed to be roughly in his either late thirties or early forties and quite attractive.

Saphira was surprised he spoke English. "Uh, I didn't know you spoke English," She said softly before clearing her throat and stopping, which made the driver stop the limousine. "You might want to get your driver's eyesight checked, that is for sure."

The man smirked, flashing perfect white teeth at her. "I shall have him get his eyes checked soon enough," He said softly. "Forgive me, I am Aro. These are my brothers Marcus and Caius. We want to extend our apology to you. Perhaps lunch?"

Lunch? Oh boy! Saphira wasn't so sure. She just met them. She noticed the other two. She wasn't sure who was who, but the younger man with shoulder, length, blonde hair appeared to be roughly in his twenties and the other man beside him appeared older. Probably a bit older than Aro and he had shoulder length, black hair.

"Um, well, I don't know you," Saphira said softly. "I appreciate you wanting to make up for almost hitting me, but…sorry."

"It would be our pleasure to ensure that you are not upset about your experience in Italy," Aro said gently. "I know it must seem very forward, but it would make us feel humble if you would allow us to make you happy, bellissimo."

"Bellissimo?" Saphira said, raising an eyebrow. "Thanks for the compliment, but I should be getting to the airport."

Saphira suddenly didn't feel safe. These men might mean what they say, but now being called beautiful kind of made her uncertain.

"Forgive my brother," The blonde man said kindly. "He was a bit forward. È un po 'stupido." Aro frowned a little, making Saphira smirk slightly. "If you are in a rush to get to the airport, we can take you there now."

"I think a cab will suffice thank you," Saphira said, with a slight bow. "Thanks for the offer, gentiluomini, but I really must keep going."

Saphira began to walk away. For some reason, she felt sadness in her heart but she was not sad. It seemed quite odd to her. She kept walking, deciding to look for a cab but noticed the limousine following her. She became extra worried now.

"Signora, please don't run," Aro said gently, with a hint of urgency in his voice. "We don't mean to frighten you. Perhaps we could start again?"

Saphira was actually surprised. These men sound like they have already been out on a date and have hurt her, but she knew it was not the case. She honestly wanted to run.

"Perhaps…if we give you our number, you can text us with what you'd like us to do for you," Aro suggests, making Saphira stop.

She considered the suggestion, but decided to pretend to accept the offer. She shrugged and pulled out her phone, turning it on and going to her contacts to the add the fake contact.

"I guess so," Saphira said softly. "What is your number?"

The men seemed pleased and they told her their number. Saphira put in the numbers, but hit cancel when finished and smiled at them. She could see the genuine joy on their faces, still not very sure about them.

"Thank you gentiluomini, now I really need to get going," She said softly. She noticed a cab driving down the street and quickly flagged it down. "Addio."

When the cab stopped in front of her, she quickly got into the cab and told the driver to go to the airport. Sighing with relief, she noticed the limousine did not follow. In fact, it turned off a different direction which made her smile.

 _Fools! Why would they think anyone would simply accept their offers on the first meeting? Creepy idiots!_

Saphira had so much to tell Avery now. She certainly hoped it would be the last time she would see the men, but little did she know, that would not be the case.

 **With the Volturi**

"Do you think she really put out number in her phone?" Marcus asked softly, seemingly worried about their mate. "She doesn't trust us."

"Would you?" Caius said with a growl. "We almost hit…no, Felix! If you ever hurt our mate again, I will rip your head from your shoulders myself."

"I'm sorry my kings," Felix said, his voice not hiding any fear and shame of what he had done. "I will keep my eyes on the road."

"You'd better," Marcus said coldly before speaking to Aro. "Do you think she has felt the bond?"

"Yes, but only a small amount," Aro said as he glanced out the window. "We forgot to ask her where she lives." He grabbed his phone. "I am going to ask Demetri to track and follow her. It is best we knew where she lives first before we do anything more."

"She's also afraid of us, we need to be…gentle," Marcus continued as Aro made the call. "Something we lack in our nature."

Aro nods in agreement. "Hello Demetri," He said with a smile. "I have an important assignment for you. My brothers and I have found our mate, she is leaving the Venice airport today. You must follow her." There was a pause and he frowned. "No, you are not babysitting her! We need to know where she lives so we can begin the process of courting her. I believe she is American thanks to her accent." Another pause and Aro smiled. "Thank you for understanding, and remember she is your queen. And if I learn she is harmed in anyway, you will face the consequences."

Aro finished the conversation and sighed deeply. "What now?" Caius asked with a frown of worry. "The pull I feel for her…"

"I know, it is painful for us to watch her go," Marcus said gently. "I can see the bond we have with her. But she is human."

"A gorgeous human," Aro states sweetly.

Marcus chuckled. "Yes, but we have not been human for many years and have forgotten what it is like," He explained. "We all felt her emotions. I actually doubt she even put our number in her phone."

"Why do you say that?" Caius said with a frown.

"If you were not paying attention to her feelings, then you missed it," Marcus states, annoyed at his brothers' ignorance. "I did not feel excitement from her, only annoyance and the yearn to get away. I do not think she genuinely put our number in that phone."

Aro seemed a little angry and upset, but he couldn't be angry at her. "All we can do now is wait for our chance brothers," He said slowly. "We shall return to Volterra."

Caius smiled suddenly. "Wouldn't it be so fascinating if she lived near the Cullens?" He said. "If so, they can help us."

"True, but I don't want our mate near them," Aro said sternly. "She might be harmed. Especially with Bella."

"I agree," Marcus nods, understanding Aro's words. "But we have little choice Aro. I wish we knew her name. Her eyes are like emeralds, I would imagine her name to be something similar to a gemstone."

The vampires agree. For now, they will wait for their mate. Saphira had no idea what kind of adventure she would be in for now.

 **Translation:**

 **Guarda dove stai andando: Look where you're going!**

 **Culo stupido: Stupid ass**

 **Signora: Ma'am/Lady**

 **Bellissimo: Very beautiful**

 **È un po 'stupido: He's a bit stupid**

 **Gentiluomini: Gentlemen**

 **Addio: Farewell/Goodbye**


	2. Chapter 2

"Seriously? A bunch of men tried to sweep you off your feet basically?" The brown, haired, young man said with a smirk. "Oh, how romantic!"

"That isn't funny Avery," Saphira said as she ate the pasta she had bought from airport restaurant. "It's actually quite dangerous when some random guy, or guys, come up to a woman to try and woo her in the way they did. They even offered their phone number!"

"Do you have it?" Avery asked curiously.

Saphira snorts and shook her head. "Of course not!" She exclaimed bluntly. "Now why should I even accept their apology when they were simply being creeps. I have had a number of men in Italy apologise to me, but they never do what these men have done."

"Alright, alright I will admit it does sound strange," Avery said softly, sighing a little as he was eager to get him. "I'm glad you're safe Saphira."

Saphira looked up at his gentle, blue eyes and smiled. "At least you don't have red eyes like them," She said softly.

"Oh, that is different," He said softly.

"True, and something about them seems almost unhuman," Saphira continued. "I…I just can't quite put my finger on it though. I just hope they will almost hit another girl and forget me."

Avery agreed. When Saphira arrived at the airport, she looked like she had seen a ghost and Avery honestly has never seen her more scared in all the years he has known her. Sure, he had his little joke about the three men who almost hit her with their limousine and tried to apologise by asking her out for lunch and even giving her their number. But he cared about his friend. Saphira was only twenty and he was a little older than her, and he didn't want to see her hurt.

"Well, at least you came when you did," Avery said softly. "Our plane arrived earlier than scheduled so we can board earlier and head home. It's a shame I can't drive you home."

"Forks isn't far from Seattle Avery," Saphira points out. "I'll be fine. There aren't any creepy men there. Although, I must admit, the Cullen family there seem to be a little similar to the men I met today."

"It's a small world, isn't it?" Avery chuckled softly.

Saphira nodded in agreement.

Soon they would board their plane and head for home. Saphira had no idea that she was being tracked, but she was simply glad to be out of Italy. She sure did have a good time. However, leaving Italy kind of gave her feeling of something was missing. She could not figure out what. The feeling only grew stronger the closer she got to America. She figured it was nothing to worry about as she thought of it as nothing more than missing the delicious food in Italy. When the plane touched down in the Seattle airport, Saphira and Avery left the plane, but Avery would remain to board another plane for Washington D.C. They said their good byes and Saphira went through the airport before heading to bus station to catch one heading to Forks. She was tired and feeling the jet lag at the moment. She had a week before she would return to work so she had time to catch up and allow her body to recover from the jet lag she was feeling. Still, Saphira managed to get a little sleep on the bus before being woken up by another passenger and she was able to get off. Her home wasn't far from the bus stop, and it was still day thankfully. Smiling wearily, she made her way home with her suitcase in tow. She was happy to be home right now and after ten minutes walking she made it home and locked the door behind her. She owned a decent, two story home which she had purchased shortly after leaving school as she had saved enough money for a home. It wasn't super modern, but it was decent and was insulated enough to keep it warm from the cold weather outside. First thing she did was grab several bags of clothes to put through the wash, she would do the washing later though as she simply wanted to get to bed and sleep. She made her way up to her bedroom which had a nice ensuite and small walk-in wardrobe which appealed to her the most when she was inspecting the house before purchasing it. It was a two-bedroom home, the second bedroom was mainly used as a bit of an office. She didn't really have any friends in Forks since they all moved out and Saphira only remained because of the good job she has. For now, Saphira was going to have a quick shower before getting in her warm, queen sized bed. She did think over what had happened in Italy a number of times. She wondered why exactly the men wanted to…treat her like a princess essentially. She didn't know them, and yet she felt some form of attraction to them. Of course, that would happen with any other attractive man. After all, she did admire Orlando Bloom and Tom Hiddleston for one so it would not be a surprise. Yet, that feeling of emptiness has not gone away. It was like she left something behind but she could not figure it out, despite still thinking it really was nothing. She went over what happened again while in the shower, but was quick to push it away. Once she had her shower and dressed in warm pyjamas, Saphira was in bed and curled underneath the warm blankets and asleep very quickly.

Demetri had followed Saphira to Forks as per the orders of the Volturi kings. He followed her to her home and when she fell asleep, he entered the house to get to know his queen. Plus, it was also a request from Aro when Demetri had reached Seattle. The vampire already learned her name, but Aro wanted to know about her family. He wanted to know if she had roots in Forks that might prevent her from joining them in Italy very soon. Going through different information Demetri learned Saphira's parents were no longer alive and she had no siblings, her parents' siblings lived quite a distance from Forks and they rarely see each other. Saphira's grandparents also died when she was very young so it would seem Saphira didn't have a lot of connections. The deepest connection she had was with Avery, but that would be strained too. Work was the only reason Saphira stayed in Forks and seemed happy here. Demetri knew she would be so much happier in Volterra with Aro, Caius and Marcus, but he did not know how they would get her there. Deciding to go to the Cullens, Demetri had no doubt Aro's decision on this would have been noted by Alice and it was best to not be threatening to them.

When Demetri arrived at the Cullen home he was met with Carlisle at the front door, who seemed alarmed by his presence.

"Hello Demetri," He said gently. "How may I help you?"

"I am here to just let you know I am not going to be a nuisance to you," Demetri said to the vampire. "But I am here to let you know why I am here as well."

"Carlisle, why is one of the Volturi here?" Esme's voice asked as Carlisle's mate was at Carlisle's side suddenly.

"It would be best if your whole family heard it from me," Demetri said to Carlisle. "Even that human mate of Edward's."

Carlisle had a concerned frown, but he didn't say much other than nodding. "Everyone is upstairs," He said, leading the way up to the living room.

Demetri followed quietly, he was not interested in fighting them but he would understand why they would be tense. When he reached the second floor, he saw the rest of the Cullens in the living room with Bella sitting close to Edward who was keeping his body between her and the vampire.

"Now, why have you come here?" Carlisle asked Demetri calmly. "You do understand Bella will become a vampire?"

"I am not here because of her," Demetri said calmly. "In fact, the kings sent me to follow their mate. And she lives in Forks."

"Wait, what?" Bella said, frowning in confusion.

"Are you sure?" Carlisle asked in surprise. "In these last three thousand years, their mate is finally here? Our queen?"

Demetri nods. "Yes, she left Italy recently," He explained. "Though they did not meet with a very good start. Felix almost hit her with the limousine. I hear she put a dent in the bumper after kicking it though."

"And they want to approach her how?" Edward asked calmly, relaxing a little as he learned this was not about Bella.

"The kings want to be gentle," Demetri replied. "And as you know, they do not know how to be gentle anymore. Carlisle, you understand humans better than us. Aro would like for you and your family to…introduce her to our world."

"Isn't that illegal in vampire laws?" Bella asked, still confused.

"This is actually a little different Bella," Carlisle said to her gently. "We will explain later." He looked back at Demetri. "Who is she exactly?"

"Her name is Saphira, I believe she works as an admin manager at the hospital you work at," Demetri replied. "I have already gone through her house and learned a few things about her. She doesn't really have any family holding her back."

"True, her parents died a few years back shortly before she graduated from high school," Carlisle nods. "I might make a call to Aro myself. If he, Caius and Marcus wish to be gentle in their approach to her, hopefully they will listen to me. Humans are extremely fragile."

"I think they would be very willing to listen," Demetri smiled at him.

"Just please don't go near the Quileute territory," Esme warned. "Those wolves won't be afraid to rip you apart."

"I will remember, and I promise to keep my hunting away from Forks," Demetri adds with a chuckle. "I have to return to watching the queen. She is recovering from jet lag so she will be sleeping most of the time."

Carlisle smiled. "Thank you for letting us know," He said gently. "I hope no trouble will come from this."

Demetri nods and left the house with Carlisle and his family to explain things to Bella, and for Carlisle to contact Aro.


	3. Chapter 3

After Bella had things explained to her, like how mates in vampires are real, Carlisle decided he should give Aro a call. Edward himself explained to Bella that she was his mate, and he felt it the moment he saw her. Each bond was very different as some mates feel each other's emotions, sometimes thoughts, but most importantly they feel the bond. Which was why Bella ended up becoming very depressed when Edward left her. For now, Carlisle entered his study and picked up the phone to contact Aro.

After a few rings Carlisle heard the answer. "Well hello Carlisle!" Came the happy voice from Aro. "How good it is to hear from you? I assume Demetri paid you and your family a visit?"

"He has," Carlisle replied. "I am pleased you finally have found your mate. I hope it all goes well."

"Oh, so do we," Aro said in an earnest tone. "Being apart from her…I can't tell you how painful that is. It is worse than being thirsty."

"I can understand that," Carlisle said softly. "But I also hear you want to be gentle correct?"

"Yeah, we were a little forward with her in Venice," Aro explained. "None of us expect her to like us from the first moment. Especially when Felix almost hit her with our limousine. Although, she does have fire in her."

Carlisle chuckled softly. "So, I've heard," He said softly. "But if you want to be gentle, would you want to listen to me? I know humans, and because of how fragile they are you really do need to be careful. I would suggest you give her a few weeks to settle back into her home life before you do anything. The first thing you could do, is send some flowers and a card."

"That sounds painfully long," Aro groaned. There was a short pause before Carlisle heard a sigh. "Alright, that sounds like a plan. We'll right the letter, you can pick out the flowers."

"I see, so they are fresh," Carlisle said, a little stunned about being asked to get the flowers. "Um, I guess a bouquet of roses will do?"

"Oh yes," Aro replied in an almost excited tone. "But I do ask you and your family to protect her. How do you plan on introducing yourselves?"

"I am unsure yet," Carlisle said honestly. "Saphira works at my hospital…um, I guess we can have Bella help. After all, she's still human for the moment."

"Sounds good than," Aro said before speaking in a worried tone. "Our biggest fear is her rejection."

"Aro, it will work," Carlisle reassured confidently. "You also have to be worried that she might reveal our secret if we tell her."

"That too…I don't want to have…kill her for it," Aro said slowly. "I trust you. Just…be careful with our queen."

Carlisle smiled. "I am always careful," He said before hanging up and sighing deeply.

This had to be one of the most difficult situation in all of his years. Who would have thought that the mate to the three Volturi leaders would be living in Forks? It was certainly no coincidence. Carlisle wondered why the three were in Venice in the first place, but all he could think of there was a problem they had to deal with themselves.

 **Several days later**

It has been several days since Saphira had returned to Forks and she was still recovering from the jet lag. She was mostly okay and had unpacked everything. She knew she wasn't exactly going to be very awake when she returns to work, but she wanted to get back to work. She did decide to go out for a walk around Forks though. She needed the fresh air and to stretch her legs. With a bit of a yawn, Saphira grabbed her coat and put on her boots before leaving the house for the walk. She had pulled her black hair back into a clean, but simple ponytail to keep her hair from her face. She breathed in the cold air as she walked down the street happily. She did enjoy the cooler climate, warm weather was nice, but Saphira tended to get warm quite easily so being in cool weather was not a bad thing for her. Walking through Forks she saw people she knew, she said quick hellos to them as she walked until she walked passed the sheriff's house. She noticed the big, orange, Chevrolet truck in the drive way being cleaned by Isabella Swan. Saphira was aware of her, but didn't really meet her. Bella saw her though.

"Oh hey!" She said with a smile. "You're Saphira right? I saw you at the hospital once right?"

Saphira looked at her and smiled. "Yes, when you had a run in with a van," She said, walking over to Bella. "Who could ever forget the sheriff's daughter being in the hospital?"

Bella chuckled softly. "So hard to forget," She said as she scrubbed her truck. "You know, I was thinking you and I could hang out for a bit."

Saphira was a little surprised. "Hang out? You've been depressed the last time I was here," She said with a slight frown. "Did something make you happy now?"

"You could say that," Bella nods. "I might finish cleaning the truck now and we can go and get something to eat."

Saphira didn't really know what to say. "Sure," She said uncertainly. "Even though my tastes are probably a little different now. Italy makes fine food."

"I'm sure it does," Bella chuckled softly. They both hear a car engine pulling up in front of the house. "Oh, I forget Edward was coming."

Saphira turned to see the Volvo and Edward Cullen stepping out of the car. He seemed very similar to the men she had met in Venice, but she was not quite sure. However, she did know he had left town.

"Looks like Dr Cullen has returned," Saphira said softly. "Care to tell why you left?"

"Carlisle was transferred up north but we decided to return because it was not to his liking," Edward explained as he hugged Bella. "It looks like you get to work with him again."

"True," She chuckled softly. "But…I don't know."

Edward frowned a little. He was glad to hear her thoughts. Saphira was wondering what she should say to Edward, she knows he is different from everyone else. She has scene Carlisle and seems to know something is amiss from him too.

"You can tell us Saphira," Bella said softly.

"We aren't exactly friends yet Bella," Saphira points out. "Looks like I might end up eating alone than?"

"Oh, no!" Bella exclaimed before turning to Edward. "I'm sorry, but I just offered to go and have lunch with Saphira."

Saphira watched Edward. He seemed shocked at first, but then smiled and kissed Bella. He was not hurt at all. That was a little odd, but then he must be happy Bella was trying to make friends outside the Cullen family.

"Don't let me ruin your appetite," He said gently, walking back to his car. "I will see you later Bella."

The girl nods as Edward gets back into the vehicle and drives away. Saphira wondered if Bella knew something was different about Edward, but was not sure how to ask him.

"Ready for lunch?" Bella asked, bringing Saphira out of her thoughts. "We can take my truck."

"Yea, sounds great," Saphira smiled as she walked to the passenger side of the car to get in.

Saphira was kind of happy to go out for lunch with some company for a change. She might end up with a new friend out of this, but she was not sure. Charlie wouldn't mind Bella having another friend obviously, but Saphira herself still had her mind thinking on other things and she kind of didn't want that to get in the way of their conversation. When they did arrive at the small restaurant, they ordered their food and took their seats.

"When did the Cullens return anyway?" Saphira asked Bella.

"A few weeks ago," She replied softly. "You were probably in Italy, right?"

"Yes," Saphira nods. "I had quite the interesting experience though. Mostly on the last day. The food was the highlight of the whole trip."

"What happened on the last day?" Bella asked curiously. "And if it's crazy, I am perfectly fine with that."

"Well, it is quite crazy," Saphira admits softly. "I was taking some time in Venice to go through the markets to see the different food and ingredients before I would return to the airport to head home, and I was crossing a road when a driver of a limousine almost hit me. I let my anger get the better of me and kick the car, putting a small dint in it I think and walked away. The driver followed me, but the people in the back wanted to apologise. And when I say apologise, these men literally were trying to woo me into some dinner or even give me their number."

"Really?" Bella widened her eyes. "Sounds strange."

"It was, and I was nervous," Saphira continued. "I mean, they might have genuinely wanted to help me, but you can never be too careful in this world. I don't know the men, they were also talking in both English and Italian which made things a little more interesting."

"I suspect you didn't take their number?" Bella asked curiously.

"Of course not, I pretended to," Saphira chuckled. "It's all bullshit really. But…honestly, I have been feeling like I've left something behind. I feel a void. I think it is nothing though."

Bella wanted to say she felt that way when Edward left, but knew it was not a good idea at the moment. "It could be nothing," She said softly. "All you have to do is wait and see if the feeling will fade."

"Maybe," Saphira said with a shrug. "Although, these men did seem a lot like Edward."

Bella rose an eyebrow. "How so?"

"Pale skin, perfect white teeth, attractive," Saphira explained. "They had red eyes, but gold eyes like the Cullens are also not natural. Do you think I am wrong?"

"No, you're not," Bella said with a smile. "If you want, I can take you out to the Cullens and you can learn more there."

"You can't tell me now?" Saphira asked with a frown.

Bella shook her head with a stern expression. She did not want to reveal the vampires in the restaurant right now. Saphira did not know why Bella would not tell her here, but she had a feeling it was best for her to hear it from the Cullens.

"Can we go to the Cullens straight after lunch?" Saphira asked Bella, surprising the girl. "I have many questions now."

Bella thought for a moment. "Let me give Carlisle a ring," She said, pulling out her phone to call the Cullens.

While Bella talked with Carlisle, their food was brought and Saphira began eating hers while Bella spoke on the phone. She wasn't paying too much attention Bella as Saphira was lost in thought over what she might learn at the Cullens. All she knew it would be completely unexpected.

"Carlisle said it will be fine if we go to their house after we have had food," Bella announced happily. "They are willing answer your questions."

Saphira smiled. "Good, I just have to know what is going on," She said softly.


	4. Chapter 4

Saphira and Bella had finally finished their food and were now on their way to the Cullens. Saphira has never travelled the road Bella was driving on right now so she was very curious to know where exactly the Cullens lived. She knew they lived out of town, but she didn't think lived so far out of Forks. At least the scenery is pleasant. Saphira was honestly a little nervous about meeting the Cullens. She didn't exactly know what to expect when she finds out why they seem different. She decided she shouldn't expect anything, but that was a hard decision. When Bella drove through a hidden drive way, weaving through the trees towards a modern house with three floors and almost completely covered with windows. It was a nice sight, but still it was foreboding to her and she probably is overreacting. When she stopped in front of the house, Bella looked to see Saphira looking down at her knees. She was shaking a little.

"The Cullens aren't going to hurt you Saphira," Bella said softly.

"I know, but it's knowing why they are a different that scares me," Saphira replied, glancing up at her. "We should go in now. I would not want to keep this going for long."

Bella nods in agreement and steps out of the truck. Saphira was quick to follow and walked to the front door where Carlisle opened the door for them.

"Hello Bella," He said to Bella first before glancing to Saphira. "Welcome Saphira, it is nice for you to come here."

"I'm sure," Saphira smiled slightly. "We need to talk."

"Yes, we do, but upstairs," Carlisle said with a smile, turning to walk towards the stairs.

Saphira followed behind Bella, feeling how light and open the house was. It was nice, but she still had a mission.

When she walked into the living room, she Edward's siblings and Carlisle's wife, Esme. Saphira hasn't seen much of Esme, only at some hospital functions with Carlisle and she didn't really talk to her.

"How nice it is to officially meet you," Esme said gently with a warm smile. "I do hope you feel right at home."

"I hope I might," Saphira smiled slightly as she moved to sit on a chair. "I'm going to go straight to the point. You all seem…different. The men I encountered in Italy seemed similar to you with pale skin and perfect white teeth, and gorgeous too. But they had red eyes, you…you all have gold and sometimes black. I am a little worried that they would track me down."

"I understand Saphira," Carlisle said slowly. "What we are going to tell you is top secret. You cannot tell anyone about us. Bella found out by researching legends and myths about us, and she also knows this rule. Anyone who knows of us, will have to face the wrath of the Volturi."

"Um, okay," Saphira said uncertainly.

"Do you believe in vampires?" Edward asked cautiously.

"Not really," She replied with a frown. "Why?"

Edward smiled slightly. And suddenly, without even blinking, he was in front of Saphira who jumped in fright. "Holy shit!" She cursed, pulling her legs onto the couch in fear. "You…you just…uh, what happened?"

"If you ever had to outrun us, you will never win a race," Alice said softly.

Saphira was about to speak when suddenly she couch lifts into the air, making Saphira scream. She glanced down and saw Emmett holding the couch with a grin. Her eyes widened and he put the couch down.

"Oh…what the hell are you?" Saphira demands. "Are you actually vampires?"

"Yes," Carlisle said softly. "And yes, we do drink blood. But unlike the rest of our kind, our family survive on the blood of animals."

Saphira really didn't know what to think. Vampires?! Blood sucking demons! She should be frightened of them, and she was, but not terrified. She didn't understand why.

"Please calm your thoughts Saphira," Edward said softly, surprising Saphira. "We are not here to hurt you. I know you're frightened, but we can't harm you."

"Can't? What do you mean?" Saphira asked with a frown. "What happens if I tell people about you?"

"You will die, as will we and all the people who know of us," Rosalie said with a firm expression. "I'm sure you don't want that. The Volturi don't."

"Who are the Volturi?!" Saphira demands.

"You already met three of them," Carlisle said calmly. Saphira turned to him with a frown. "Aro, Caius and Marcus are the head of the Volturi, and they lay down the rules for us vampires to live by. They are, essentially, rulers."

Saphira was speechless. She remembered their names well, but she had no idea they were vampires. Their red eyes, that must mean they feed on humans! That is not what she needed to hear.

"Yes, they drink human blood," Edward said softly.

"Why do you speak as though you can read my mind?" Saphira sneered coldly.

"Because I can," Edward replied calmly. "Not all vampires have gifts, but I am able to read your thoughts. Alice has the gift of foresight and Jasper can feel and manipulate emotions, that is some of the gifts we have."

"And the three m…vampires I met?" Saphira asked curiously.

"Aro is capable of reading the thoughts of anyone by touching them," Carlisle explains softly. "Marcus can see the bonds between people. Regardless if they are friend, foe or lovers. Caius has no actual gift, but he is sure a good fighter."

Saphira was not sure why she would be comfortable with any of the three men. She doubts they are the only ones of the Volturi. She really was uncomfortable right now. She could not calm her racing heartbeat, but yet she was not panicking.

"I bet this is overwhelming," Bella comments.

"Hardly, it's more than that," Saphira said softly. "I must ask, the Volturi leaders were being rather flirty with me in Venice when I was there. Is it normal for them to do it? To…draw in their prey?"

"They do not go after their prey like that," Alice reassured softly. "You didn't feel anything upon seeing them?"

"Alice, I doubt Saphira felt the bond yet," Carlisle said softly. Saphira was about to ask about it. "The reason why Aro, Caius and Marcus spoke to you in that manner is because a bond was created between you and them. The earth has basically shifted from under them, you are the only thing more important to them than their power now. For three thousand years, they have been waiting for a mate. You are theirs."

 _Mate? No…that can't be! Why me?! Can't they find someone else!_

"I'm afraid they cannot choose who their mate is Saphira," Edward said gently. "I certainly didn't. I felt the same with Bella. The bond is different. Do you feel a void in your life right now?"

"Yes…but…that isn't it is it?" Saphira asked with a frown.

"It is your bond," Carlisle said softly. "There is a hole in your life now until you go back to Italy. Bella here became utterly depressed that she tried suicidal things to try and see Edward. It can get very bad. You only just met the kings so you won't feel the extreme feeling. But…you can't be away from them forever."

Saphira didn't know what to say right now. Did that mean they knew she lived in Forks. "How do you know I am the mate?"

"Alice had a vision about it," Jasper said softly. "You, sitting on your own thrown in Volterra. Our queen."

"Queen?!" Saphira breathed deeply for a moment. "And how did they know I am from Forks?"

"Because I was sent to protect you," A voice said, making the vampires tense a little.

Saphira saw another vampire walking up the stair, clad in a black coat with short, brown hair. He seemed youngish, but his red eyes were very distinguishable. But what shocked her the most, he was sent to protect her.

"Were you really sent to protect me, or follow me?" Saphira asked bluntly.

"Both," He replied softly. "I am Demetri, my queen, I am the best tracker of the Volturi guard. I am sorry about the shock of the knowledge, but you must know the kings do not want you harmed by anyone. You didn't keep their number, did you?"

"Um…well no, how can I trust a bunch of guys I had only spoken to for only a few minutes?" Saphira asked, putting her hands on her hips. "I am not property!"

"No one said you were," Carlisle said quickly and gently. "Demetri here will only watch out for you, and escort you to Volterra when you are ready."

"But…my life is here," Saphira said softly.

"Yes but you do not have any family do you?" Demetri asked softly, making Saphira glare at him. "Human history is quite easy to find."

"Just because I have no parents…" She choked as tears filled her eyes. "No…I can't leave."

"Your parents would want you to move on Saphira," Esme said gently, suddenly appearing at Saphira's side to hug her gently. "I know they are buried at the cemetery…"

"You don't know what they would want me to do!" Saphira snapped. She noticed the cooler temperature. "My god, you are cold."

The vampires chuckle softly. "Yeah, just a little something to keep you cool in a hot, humid climate," Emmett joked.

"Or freezing in Forks," Bella adds teasingly, elbowing Edward's side.

Saphira looked around noticing how much of a family the vampires seemed to be. That hurt her. She did not have that around her anymore, and she missed it. She didn't know what she was going to do. She didn't know if she wanted to go back to Italy. She did think it might not be as bad as she thinks and she might end up loving the vampires, but three men? That seemed rather strange to her.

"My queen?" Demetri said gently. "Are you angry at us?"

"No…I…I just don't know what to say," Saphira said, sniffling softly as she wiped away tears.

"I understand," Esme said to her softly.

"I won't tell anyone," Saphira said, glancing up at the vampires. "I can keep your secret. No one would believe me if I told them."

Demetri smiled. "Good, the kings would hate to give me the order to kill you," He said gently before turning to leave. "I shall be around if you need me, my queen."

"Oh, stop calling me queen," Saphira groaned. "I am not a queen. If I am, I don't deserve that title yet."

Carlisle smiled. "We were going to wait until you're over your jetlag to tell you too," He said softly. "But I guess you needed to know."

Saphira nods. "I hope they will understand why I will want…to process things," She said softly. "Are there any other creatures I should know about?"

"Are you aware of the Quileute legends?" Bella asked her curiously. Saphira nods. "They're true. There are a number of members, including Jacob, who can turn into wolves. But they are not very kind to vampires."

"Should I be concerned?" Saphira asked. "I mean, if they learn that I will be a vampire queen, will they want to hurt me? Or even kill me?"

"We do not plan on telling them that," Carlisle said.

Bella frowned. "Why not?" She demands.

"Because the Volturi would not be so kind to us and the wolves if Saphira were to be harmed because we told them who she is," Carlisle explained. "I know you want to tell Jacob, but you can't tell him everything."

"Oh no!" Alice exclaimed. "Since Victoria is still around…would she target Saphira too? We might have to let Demetri know about her."

"I forgot about that redhead for a moment," Edward growled softly.

"Who's Victoria?" Saphira asked curiously.

"She is a vampire who is out for revenge after we killed her mate, James," Edward explained softly. "But James almost killed Bella first. As far as we know, she wants to kill Bella so I live with the pain she feels. If she knows about you, she might think you're a mate to one of the other vampires in this family."

"Okay, then tell him," Saphira said with a nod. "I'd rather not have my blood sucked by a rogue vampire."

Edward nods and stood up to go and find Demetri. Bella wasn't sure, but Emmett, Alice and Jasper went with him. Saphira was still in shock about the whole thing. Even though she didn't want to leave Forks, knowing she had mates was very surprising. But now…Saphira began to feel different.

"Sono già innamorato di loro," Saphira whispered.

 **Translation:**

 **Sono già innamorato di loro: I'm already in love with them.**


	5. Chapter 5

After learning about the truth about the Cullens and the three men she had met in Venice, Saphira wasn't exactly sure how she was feeling about it. It was good she learned about them, but as much as she felt some form of love for the Volturi kings, she still wasn't sure if she should even trust her own feelings. She hardly knew them. Carlisle was prepared to teach her about them but Saphira has denied that offer for now. She really just wanted to get settled back into a normal life, which didn't feel possible at this time. Demetri has not shown up at her house since the first time she saw him at the Cullen residence. That was fine with her as Saphira felt she needed some space. She did hang out with Bella when she was not at school, and it seemed Charlie was fine with that as she did learn that Bella was actually grounded. So, she was not meant to even be at the Cullen residence when she took Saphira there, but Charlie did not know about it so she thought it was okay. Saphira did find getting back to work a little more daunting than she normally would feel. Her mind was mostly distracted and she could not stop thinking about the new stuff she had learned from the Cullens. She did consider asking Demetri more about the Volturi but she still felt like she should avoid it as much as possible. It was a foolish thing for her to do of course, but there wasn't much for her to feel at the moment. It wasn't just learning about the vampires, but also about the shape shifting abilities of the Quileute tribe. Saphira herself has not yet wrapped her mind around all the information she has been given, but she was glad they were giving her plenty of space. She did realise that if she did accept the Volturi's offer and she moves to Italy to live with her mates that she might have to become a vampire herself. Saphira wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea. Sure, when she becomes a vampire drinking from humans would eventually not concern her. But right now, Saphira was happy to be a human. There were still things she wanted to do as a human and she questioned if she would even be able to do them.

It has been over a week since she has learned about the vampires now, and Saphira was still feeling the same about the whole thing. Carlisle did give a little more attention to her at work by helping her with things and even telling her that she will be okay. It was very nice that he was looking out for her, but Saphira tended to be more tense around him than she would normally be. Right now, it was her day off and Saphira had decided just to stay in her home to relax and watch movies to keep her mind distracted. Settling on starting a Stargate marathon, Saphira settled on her couch to watch the series quietly, eating some junk food like chips and chocolate happily. Stargate was one of Saphira's favourite TV shows, and right now she wished the stargate itself was real. To escape from this world, at least anything she has learned so far would not be considered so surreal. Saphira managed to watch a few episodes that morning before she heard a gentle knock at her front door. Groaning softly, Saphira paused the DVD and got up to walk towards the door with a sigh, unsure of who was at her front door. When she opened it, she was surprised to see who it was.

"Demetri? Uh, this is…a surprise," Saphira said in surprise. She noticed a bouquet of red roses in his hands. "Um…please tell me I am not your mate too."

Demetri chuckled softly. "I can assure you, you would know if I was," He said gently. "These are for you, but they are from the kings."

"Really?" Saphira asked, widening her eyes. She reached out to take the roses before pausing. "May I?"

Demetri hands her to the roses. "You don't need to ask, my queen," He said to her with a smile. "The kings want you to feel special."

Saphira took the roses and sniffed them. They smelled very pleasant and fresh, and she noticed a card between a few of the flowers. She smiled slightly and walked away from the door.

"Oh, you can come in if you want," Saphira said as she looked back at him.

"I do not want to intrude," Demetri said, raising a hand slightly. "I understand you want to have your space for a time being."

"That is true," She nods slightly. "I don't want to feel like I am being rude that is all."

Demetri chuckled softly. "If you insist," He said, stepping through the doorway and closing the door behind him gently. "I trust you are happy with the gift the kings sent you."

Saphira walked to the kitchen and began looking for a vase. "I am," She replied softly. "I am still…not sure."

"They are in no rush," Demetri said before pausing briefly. "But I must tell you, something is happening in Seattle that is unsettling, and I would implore for you to think about flying to Italy."

Saphira glanced up at him with a frown. "What do you mean?"

"A vampire has created a few newborn vampires," He explained with a frown on his face. "Newborn vampires are at their strongest within the first months of this life. And if this keeps growing, and bring more attention, I would think it would be best if you go to Volterra."

Saphira smiled slightly. "Well, I hardly think I am the target."

"My queen, it is best not to be naïve about this," Demetri said firmly, his voice still carrying concern in his tone. "Please think about it. The Cullens are aware of it too. The newborns could be made to go after Bella, but the kings would feel a lot better knowing their mate is safe."

"I understand, but I can't simply drop everything and go," Saphira said as the grabbed out a vase and filled it with some water.

"Think it over, my queen," Demetri said with more concern. "I will keep you safe, but an army of newborns is more than I can take."

Saphira appreciated that concern. She pulled out the letter from the flowers, noticing the golden V on the black card, making her smile before she pulled the roses out of the plastic. She was glad the thorns were cut from the roses as she didn't want the vampire to suddenly bite her.

"How can you even stand being close to me?" Saphira asked suddenly as she put the stems of the roses into the vase.

"I'm sorry?" Demetri said in surprise. "If you mean, do you appeal to me? Yes, you do. But I have lived for many years and can control myself a lot better than you think."

Saphira looked at him with a stern look. "How do I appeal to you?"

"Your scent is very pleasant," He explained. "Not as overly sweet as Bella's scent, but still very pleasant. Probably the most pleasant scent in all my years and it feels more like comfort to me than a desire to feed. Do not be worried, even if you cut your skin I will not attack you."

Saphira breathed deeply and nods. "Thanks, I think," She said with a shrug.

He chuckled. "Your concern in understandable," He said softly. "I best go, Aro has instructed me to keep an eye on the Seattle issue."

"Then don't let me stop you," Saphira said with a smile as she picked up the card.

Demetri bowed slightly before leaving suddenly. Saphira was still startled whenever the vampires moved too quickly for her eyes to see. She figured she would get used to it. Breathing deeply, Saphira walked back to the living room and sat on the couch, starting the DVD again to listen while she read the letter. She was curious to know what Aro, Caius and Marcus have written, even though she wondered who wrote it.

Our dear Saphira,

We sincerely apologise for our informal approach to you back in Venice, but we are happy you have learned about our existence and that you are our mate. All we want is for you to be happy and whole while you lived in America while we wait for your return to Italy. It pains us to be separated from you, but we will not rush your decision to come home.

We are aware of the pain you carry for the loss of your parents, and we want you to know we will always be here for you. We want to make you happy, we want you to feel safe and secure. Even though the bond between us is strained, we feel your happiness, fear and sadness, and we hope you will feel ours too.

The roses are a small token of our love and we hope you love them, and display them in your home. We will wait for your return, our bella ragazza.

Love from Volterra. Aro, Caius and Marcus.

Saphira smiled after reading the letter and held it against her chest. It was a very sweet letter, and it mentioned nothing about the situation in Seattle. It was probably written before they learned about it. Saphira began to feel a little regret. Regret of not even putting their number into her phone, not accepting their offer to get food and so on. She felt silly for regretting it, but she was their mate and she could still feel that bond. She could feel different feelings and she didn't know if they were her own. Now she knew that the emotions she was feeling that weren't actually her were theirs. It was not strong, but she could feel them. She looked at the letter again and read through it again, smiling as her eyes followed their writing. She brought the letter to face and breathed in deeply, she was sure she could smell their scent on the letter. She shook her face, frowning a little as she realised she was being silly. Or thought she was being silly. She put the letter aside and continued to watch Stargate quietly, grabbing one of the chocolate boxes to eat. The TV show helped her to push away any thoughts about the letter and the roses, and she was able to eat away the guilt in her heart thanks to the chocolate. She already thought about having a detox after today.

After another few episodes, Saphira decided she had enough of sitting around and stood up to clean up the living room and kitchen. She also drank a glass of water to begin getting the sugar out of her body. Saphira hummed softly as she cleaned the plates she had used, glancing at the window above the sink and noticing a figure there. She screamed and jump back suddenly, knocking the table enough to case the vase to fall. She turned to try and catch it, but a pair of hands caught it before her.

"Are you alright, my queen?" Demetri asked with a frown. "I heard you scream."

"Aren't you meant to be in Seattle?" Saphira asked softly. "Were you just standing outside my window?"

"I came back to check on you," Demetri said, putting the vase back on the table. He went to the window and looked outside with a frown. "I don't see anything. It was not me standing outside." He began walking to the back door. "I will go and see if I can pick up a scent."

"Um, before you go," Saphira said, following him quickly. "Can…can I have their number?"

Demetri looked at her in surprise before smiling. He nods and grabbed out a small card from his pocket, writing down the number of Volterra. He hands the card to her and she smiled at him, nodding her thanks. He quickly left to seek out who might have been outside her window. Saphira looked at the card in her hands, staring at it as she thought on what to do before grabbing her phone and dialling the number. She was a little nervous, but she figured it was time to talk to them. The phone began to ring, and now she had to wait for them to pick up.

 **Translation:**

 **Bella ragazza: Beautiful girl**


	6. Chapter 6

Saphira had no idea what to expect while she waits for them to pick up. She walked up to her bedroom to lay on her bed to talk to them. She didn't know why it felt like forever before someone answered the phone, maybe it was the fact she wanted to talk to them or it was fear.

"Hello?" A voice said into the phone.

Saphira recognised it. "Aro?"

"Saphira?" He replied, before speaking excitedly. "You called! Oh, I am ever glad to hear your voice dolce colomba. But what happened?"

Saphira smiled slightly. "What do you mean what happened?"

"We felt…your panic," Caius's voice said softly. "We got worried." Aro must have turned on the loud speaker.

"Oh, that," Saphira chuckled a little. "I saw a shadow out my window. Demetri is investigating."

"I hope so," Aro said with slight concern. But he quickly changed his tone. "Did you like the flowers?"

"I loved them, but your letter was the main gift," Saphira said gently. "Thank you. But…I still have no idea how to feel about this."

"Take your time, ragazza dolce," Marcus's voice spoke slowly. "We have time to wait. However, we are worried about your safety. Demetri and Carlisle have told us a situation growing in Seattle. Have you been told?"  
"Yes, but I do not feel concerned."

"It is wrong for you to not feel that way," Aro said with concern. "A newborn army…right now is too suspicious. My brothers and I are considering travelling to America ourselves to deal with the situation, and see you."

Saphira widened her eyes at the idea. "I…I don't know if that's a good idea," She said softly. "I mean, they might be after Bella."

"We can never be too careful," Marcus said. "If you die…the pain of losing you will make us fade away too. We have waited too long to just lose you to an uncontrolled vampire. Please consider coming home."

Home. Already the vampires considered Volterra her home, and yet Saphira wasn't sure about it. But she did silently admit, ever since returning to Forks she didn't exactly feel at home. She should do, but she didn't know why.

"Marcus brother, we must allow her to have time to have things sorted first," Aro said, clearly talking to Marcus. "Her house and possessions, and her job need to be dealt with first."

"That will take a while to get through Aro," Saphira said softly. "I really appreciate all of this, and I am sorry."

"What are you sorry for, il nostro amore?" Marcus asked in surprise. "You haven't done anything to upset us."

"I kind of feel…guilty for not actually putting your number into my phone on that day," She explained. "I was scared. I am still…a little scared about the future. I am glad that I have learned about you…but you understand I am hesitant. Would I have to become a vampire?"

"That is your choice," Aro said to her gently. "Do not feel guilty Saphira, we do not remember what it is like to be human. We do understand why you hesitate, and you do not need to become a vampire. You can live a full, human life. And when you pass, we will be able to find rest ourselves. As we said, losing you would mean we fade away. But it would be easier if you died of natural causes, rather than by one of our kind."

"This is a really big decision," Saphira sighed thoughtfully.

"Indeed," Aro agreed. "Take your time amore. We want you to be happy."

Saphira nods and heard a knock at the door to see Demetri. "Thank you," She said softly. "I need to go for a while. I might call you again."

"And we will be waiting to hear from you, amore," Aro said sweetly. "Take care of yourself."

Saphira smiled as they hung up. She felt a sense of sadness, she already missed them but she didn't know why.

She sat up and looked to Demetri. "Did you find anything?"

"Yes, I found a scent," Demetri nods. "I am unfamiliar, but it was a vampire. I followed the scent back to Seattle. Now it is best that you really consider going to Italy, my queen. I will be around to keep guard, a tighter guard around your house. I might even contact Aro to have some of the guard."

"Guard?" Saphira said softly. "Who might they be?"

"Jane, Alec and Felix," Demetri replied. "And don't worry, Felix won't hit you with a car this time."

Saphira chuckled softly. "I am sure he already got punished for it the first time."

Demetri nods. "So, will you think about it."

"I will," Saphira said. "Right now, I am…torn."

"How so?" He frowned, getting worried.

"I want to stay, but I also want to go back to Italy," She said softly. "My parents…" She clenched her eyes to stop the tears. It was clear she had a very close relationship with them. "My roots are still here."

"I know, but they would also want you safe," Demetri said gently. "I will go and patrol the forest right now. I shall inform the Cullens, but I do hope the stranger does not know of your connection to the Volturi."

Saphira nods and Demetri left. She was now beginning to worry that they might be right. The newborn army being created in Seattle is no coincidence. She only had returned last week and already she might be a target. That was not good. She did hope, as terrible as it sounded, that they were after Bella instead. But she could not be sure and she simply wanted to stay away from the danger. She didn't feel safe here anymore even though she wanted to be. She really did consider leaving. But she wanted to give her boss notice. She figured at least a few more months and she can go to Italy. That sounded reasonable. At least she hoped so. She didn't want her boss to suspect anything was wrong since she had just got back from her holiday and it was best she did not suddenly drop out of work to soon.

The next few weeks were kind of normal right now. Demetri was now watching her house like a hawk every night. And Saphira ended up talking to the kings at least once every night, telling them about her day and such. She did tell them her plan and they were excited to know she would be going to Italy soon. They already had a room ready for her, which to Saphira seemed like too much. But she figured she was going to be treated to a very wealthy lifestyle. It wasn't something she desired greatly, however, Saphira just took it as something she would enjoy. She didn't want to be bratty or selfish about it, it was best she accept it with appreciation that they want to do this for her. Already they made her feel like a princess. They sent her several more bouquet of roses, noting that they were often different colours which she did not mind. The blue roses were her favourite so far, only because they were so pretty to look at. Almost like looking at an enchanted rose. Saphira couldn't help but feel a lot like Belle from the Beauty and the Beast, except she was not going to be switching places with a crazy father who wondered into a castle during a snow storm, she was simply going to be swept off her feet by supernatural men. Although it has baffled Saphira that the Cullens have not yet told Bella about the situation growing in Seattle. Obviously with all the news being covered about the unexplained killings and disappearances Bella would probably be questioning it now. Saphira didn't exactly view Bella to be the brightest girl in the world, after all Bella did jump off a cliff once and almost drowned which almost killed Edward. She kind of felt Bella was just being a little ridiculous, but she also understood now. Saphira's bond with the kings was actually growing, even though they were still in Italy. Saphira could feel their excitement, concern and a few times anger. She did wonder about the angry times, but she figured it could be something to do with another vampire breaking the laws. Oh yes! Vampire laws. Saphira was glad that the rules were sent to her in a large book by the kings recently and Demetri gave it to her himself. She was glad it was also written in English so she could understand it better. Some of it was confusing, but most of it Saphira understood. She did wonder though, the rule that prohibited vampires from showing their true identity, meant. Could it have something to do with sunlight? The Cullens tended to disappear whenever the sun came through the clouds. Saphira hoped they didn't look horrid, so she decided she might ask Demetri.

It was early morning, and Saphira was almost ready to head to work. She had about forty-five minutes before she had to leave but she wanted to know something. Walking out of the back door of her home, she walked into the forest behind her house and looked around.

"Are you here Demetri?" She asked in a soft, loud tone.

And he was right behind her just as she asked. "I am my queen."

Saphira was startled again and breathed deeply. "Fuck, I swear I am never going to get used to you lot appearing next to or behind me," She said as she had a hand on her chest while trying to calm her racing heartbeat.

He smiled slightly. "You will get used to it," He said. "But I assume you have a reason asking for my presence."

"I do," Saphira said softly, looking at him. "What do you look like in the sunlight?"

He seemed alarmed at first, but softened his expression. "I would have thought you'd wait until you saw the kings," He said with a chuckle. "Alright, I'll show you. Do you mind if I pick you up?"

"I guess not," Saphira shrugged. She gasped when he picked up quickly. "Again, with the speed? Are you doing that just to annoy me?"

"Maybe," Demetri smiled, before running through the forest. "We don't often get to play pranks on humans."

Saphira could feel the wind flying passed her so quickly, she knew she would need to fix up her hair again from this. She could hardly see the trees going by and…she felt like they were flying to be honest. It actually felt amazing. She was then suddenly put down, making her stumble a little before noticing a ray of sun beaming through the trees and Demetri walking towards it. She didn't think that vampires actually explode in the sunlight, because if they did her mates would technically already be dead.

"At least you will know why we do not go out into the sunlight," Demetri said, unbuttoning his jacket and pulling it apart enough to show his skin. He turned around to face Saphira while standing in the sunlight. "What do you think?"

He was sparkling! Like, like diamonds! Saphira had not expected that. That was the last thing on her mind. For some reason, she pictured a demonic, skeletal body, and now she kicked herself for coming up with such a childish picture.

"Amazing," Saphira whispered, making Demetri smile. "I…I never dreamed of angels with glitter."

"We are not angels," Demetri chuckled, buttoning his shirt. "But…the compliment is appreciated, my queen."

Saphira smiled. "Thank you for showing me," She said softly. "I could say I was almost blinded, but I wasn't. Diamond, glittery boyfriends…what kind of world did I stumble in to?"

Demetri laughed out so hard from her comment Saphira giggled herself. She was glad to make someone so old laugh.

"I have not laughed so hard in all my years for a long time," Demetri chuckled softly, moving to pick Saphira up again. "You stumbled into a…world of pale beasts."

"That makes me the beauty, the roses speak for themselves," Saphira smiled.

"Indeed, but this is not the same Beauty and the Beast story," He said, running back towards Saphira's house with her clutched in his arms. "It's more dangerous."

"Perhaps," Saphira said softly. "At least no moronic, jealous man is going to burn down a castle."

"Nope, that is true," He agreed.

"You have seen the movie I suspect," Saphira said softly. "Since when are vampires into Disney?"

"We need to have entertainment too," Demetri smiled. "To be honest, the kings have hoped a similar situation as the story from Beauty and the Beast to occur in their castle. Too bad it wasn't like that."

"Well, I did visit Volterra, but I never went into the castle," She admits. "Even though I felt quite at home, and I thought it was just the food."

Demetri stopped at the edge of the forest and put Saphira's feet onto the ground. "That's a shame, you would have been courted right there and then," He said softly. "You'd better get to work. I don't want to make you late."

Saphira frowned with a smirk. "I thought I was the queen," She said softly.

"Yes, but you already know you have to work," Demetri chuckled. "I am simply not wanting to get in trouble by you."

Saphira nods and walked towards the house. "Thanks anyway," She said happily. "I need to fix up my hair. The braid is so messy!"

Demetri chuckled and shook his head. He ran off to patrol again while Saphira got ready for work. Saphira herself was imagining what Aro, Caius and Marcus looked like in the sunlight. They would be gorgeous most likely. She had to shake the image out of her head for now. She needed to focus on work, which has been hard and now was going to get a bit more difficult now.

 **Translation:**

 **Ragazza dolce: sweet girl**

 **Dolce Colomba: sweet dove**

 **il nostro amore: our love**

 **Amore: Love**


	7. Chapter 7

Saphira took quite some time before she was able to focus on her job better than she had before. After Demetri showed her what vampires looked like in the sunlight Saphira seemed to relax a bit better after a few days. It was a good thing as her boss was asking her if she was okay as her performance has dropped and now she was starting to pick it back up again. She didn't want to disappoint the rest of her colleagues. Right now she simply wanted to work and prepare to get things sorted before going to Italy. That thought has allowed her to do a lot better in her work and has brought back some confidence and trust from her boss. Saphira wanted it to stay that way. Even though she had little doubt Aro, Caius and Marcus would be happy to help her with her financial needs. With all the issues happening in Seattle, the Cullens still have not told Bella about what is happening which Saphira thought was a little negligent if the unborns happen to come to Forks to kill Bella and Charlie. They would kill themselves for it to happen. Demetri still kept a close eye on her house and was relaying information daily to the Volturi about the growing situation in Seattle. She was quite impressed with how loyal he was. She did wonder though, were the Volturi cruel? She knew they were very sweet towards her, but to others they might not show that side at all. She was probably glad to see their good, gentle side even though she could not help but be curious. She has yet to meet the rest of the Volturi guard as well. She only knew their names, but not their gifts. She was patient about meeting them however, Demetri did tell her she was likely to meet some of them soon when they come to Seattle to observe the growing vampire issue.

Saphira did begin to write down a list of items she would be able to take with her to Italy, and others she would sell. She wanted to keep her memories and clothing so photos would be included, almost everything else would end up getting sold including her house and car. She won't really need them when she moves away from America. It has been just over a month now after returning from Italy and Saphira was growing more excited about returning to Italy. To where her new home is with Aro, Caius and Marcus. It was also nearing Bella's graduation which Saphira was happy to support her through the final term of school for her. She did wonder if Bella will be able to let go of her family to even enter the life of a vampire. Being a vampire meant no longer being in the lives of the people she cared about. Saphira was kind of glad she was not Bella, even though she still feels very connected with Forks. It was her day off again today and Bella has gone to see her mother in Florida with Edward. She was surprised Edward would go with Bella, but she had learned from Carlisle that Victoria was coming by. Demetri was put on alert too. Despite that, Saphira went through her fridge and cupboard to find what she was going to need to buy from the store for the week. Writing a list of what she needed Saphira heads to the car to go to the store, finding Demetri waiting for her.

"Morning Demetri," Saphira said softly. "Is there something wrong?"

"You shouldn't go to the store," Demetri said to her.

"Um, you can't stop me from going Demetri," She challenged sternly. "Carlisle said Victoria would cross through the forest at night. And right now, I can clearly see it is still morning. You should be more concerned when night actually occurs."

"It matters not, my queen," He said softly. "Your mates have asked me to move you somewhere safer today."

Saphira frowned, not liking that she had to move. "Where exactly do they want me to go?" She asked bluntly.

"To Port Angeles," Demetri replied. "It is not far from Forks, but it will keep you from harm should the intruder enter your house when I cannot protect you."

Saphira thought on it. "I will think on it," She said softly.

"You can shop tomorrow my queen," He pressured more earnestly. "I beg you to get in the car. I will take you there myself."

Saphira was still unsure, but she could see the genuine concern and fear on his face. Perhaps it wasn't just the fear of his queen being killed, but also the fact of Saphira not going and being in harm's way. She breathed deeply and decided she might as well listen, after all Aro, Caius and Marcus wanted her safe. To be honest, she was very inclined to listen to them.

"Alright," She said as she glanced back at her house. "I'll go back a couple things."

"No, allow me," Demetri said suddenly. "I'll be back in a flash."

Demetri was already inside before Saphira could respond. "I have no doubt about it," Saphira said as she unlocked the car and opened the passenger door.

She honestly would have liked a call from the men to tell her, but she wondered if they would prefer having one of the guard tell her. She was not sure. As she got comfortable in the seat, she heard the boot of the car open and glanced back to see Demetri putting a suitcase in and he pulled down the boot quickly. She chuckled softly and let Demetri drive the car to Port Angeles to the motel she was going to be staying at.

"Are you angry?" Demetri asked her curiously.

"No, well maybe a little annoyed," Saphira said with a sigh. "Why couldn't they call me and tell me what they wanted instead of hearing it from you?"

"You were asleep when they called," He tried to explain.

"Uh, that doesn't matter," She frowned. "You could have told them to call be at a certain time. But it is done, but if something did occur I would appreciate it if they tell me. Please?"

"I understand, my queen," Demetri said slowly. "You like hearing their voices too."

"Well yes I do," Saphira nods with a slight smirk. "I am looking forward to returning to Italy. A few more months and I will…be able to go home."

"You think of Italy as home already? I am sure the kings would love to hear that," He said with a smile.

"They already know," She said. "They were extremely delighted to know that. I look forward to their company, and taking my place as their queen."

"I can already imagine," Demetri smiled. "I've been with them long enough to know how long they have waited for you. Their yearn for a mate…it was sad to watch. The many women who came through Volterra, they always checked for a bond and there was never a connection. Aro even began doubting they would get a mate."

"I can only apologise for not being born sooner," Saphira said jokingly.

"That is true," Demetri agreed with a chuckle. "Even though the kings do hope you would go to Italy earlier than you have said you would."

"I know they would wish for that to happen, but I am not sure at the moment," Saphira said softly. "It will take some time to even sell the stuff I own. I wrote a list of things down that I can take with me, and the others I must sell."

"Wise choice, and if you would like the Cullens could probably sell it for you," Demetri said.

"I'm sure they will help too," Saphira nods, glancing out the window to watch the world go by. "It all still seems surreal to me. I kind of wish I will wake up and all this has just…been a very good dream."

Demetri seemed a little surprised. "Why would you say that?"  
"I say it because I am a human, and because I never thought I would be a mate to three male vampires," Saphira said to him. "Vampires…oh man, learning everything so far still is so surreal."

"You'll be fine, my queen," Demetri said gently.

"And do you mind stop saying 'my queen' at all?" Saphira asked. "I don't feel like I am your queen yet. Not by a long shot."

The vampire chuckled softly. "How about princess than?"

"You are going to push huh?" She said, glancing at him with a smirk. "I think Saphira will suffice."

"I do not want to be disrespectful, my queen," He said to her gently.

"Well I would feel more respected if you called me just by my own name," Saphira said to him. "At least, until I get to Volterra. Then you can call me by my title. Does that sound good to you?"

Demetri nods slowly. "As you wish Saphira," He said, glancing at her briefly. "You will tell the Cullens the same, won't you?"

"I already have," She said, glancing back out the window. "Carlisle was the first who I told, and he has told the rest of his family about it. They have been calling me by Saphira for a while. They understand because I am still human and living in the human world at the moment."

"Well, they certainly have more experience," He said slowly. "I cannot understand how they can even live among you humans. Especially when thirsty."

"I guess they simply want to be a friend to humans in a way and yet keep their secret," Saphira said as she thought about it. "Carlisle is happy to help people. Being a doctor…sure he would have a lot of issues but he must have very good self-control to be able to operate. I sure do admire him."

Demetri listened to Saphira quietly. "You already look up to them?"

"They are the only other vampires I really know right now, so yes I do," Saphira explained, before frowning. "That is not going to be a problem. I am sure I am able to have a freedom to choose who I admire. I like Carlisle, he's attractive, but I don't feel any connection with him if that is what you're worried about."

He chuckled softly. "I can assure you that it will not be an issue," He said reassuringly. "Just know that the kings might be a little surprised and maybe alarmed about it. They would want to be admired more than them, but they can't make you change your mind."

"That's right, they can't," Saphira nods. "I am curious to know if any of my freedoms will be limited in Volterra."

"I cannot tell you if you will or not either," Demetri said softly. "I do not know what the kings want to do with you. I know they want you to feel at home, so they would have to give you freedom. You're used to it, it would be unfair to make you feel like you're in a dungeon."

Saphira looked to him. "Thanks for understanding," She said with a smile. "You seem to understand humans a lot more than what you say."

He smiled. "I learn fast."

"Of course, you have eternity that's why," Saphira teased, making him chuckle again.

Saphira was quite happy she was able to talk with Demetri throughout the drive to Port Angeles. It was nice to able to talk to him generally without him calling her queen at the end of each sentence. The hotel she stayed at was actually quite a nice hotel. More expensive than she would have booked, it was in her name and already paid for. She guessed Demetri paid for it. Her room was a large suite and Saphira could not help but enjoy the amenities. The vampire gave her space to enjoy the jacuzzi and allow her to use the spa treatment which was also paid for her to use. Saphira had to hand it to Aro, Caius and Marcus, they really wanted her to feel special. And even though she was here for a night to stay away from Victoria, Saphira enjoyed herself very much. Saphira just knew she had to thank the vampires before getting into bed. She rang their number and laid on the queen size bed waiting for them to pick up happily.

"Hello Saphira," Aro's voice said sweetly. "How is la nostra colomba doing?"

"Oh, relaxed and so clean," Saphira replied with a chuckle. "You really did not have to do all this for me."

"Yes, we do," Aro replied quickly and sweetly. "Amore, we care about you and want you to be satisfied and happy. It brings my brothers and I great joy to know you had a good day."

"Thank you Aro," Saphira said gently. "I appreciate it. You really know how to treat a girl."

"Only the best is for you dolce colomba," Caius spoke in a purring voice, before becoming serious. "Demetri is going to keep an eye for you?"

"Yes, he's watching TV at the moment," Saphira said with a frown. "Don't worry Caius, please don't be worried."

"I am worried, and frightened for you," Caius said gently. "Forgive me, amore, knowing that this rogue vampire is passing through Forks worries us."

"Especially Caius, you will have to forgive his quick tempered and now highly protective personality," Marcus said with a chuckle. "Don't look at me like that Caius, you know your personality."

"You shouldn't play with her life Marcus," Caius said sternly.

"Boys! Please do not fight," Saphira said sternly. "That is the last thing I want between you three. If you want to fight each other, don't do it around me please. I like it when you're all friends."

"Sorry, amore," Caius said gently. "I don't want to upset you."

Saphira giggled softly. "I'm more amused honestly," She said honestly. "But I would like to make a tiny request."

"Anything for you, il mio amore," Aro said quickly.

"A massage would be nice after a long flight to Italy," Saphira said gently. "I can imagine you would give the best massage in the entire world."

"If that would please you, it will please us doing that for you, il mio amore," Marcus said gently.

Saphira smirked. She really enjoyed talking to them. She knew they could feel her happiness whenever she called them which is why they know she is calling them.

"I certainly feel like a princess right now," Saphira rather dreamily.

"Get used to it, amore, because you will be treated like a queen when you come home," Aro teased gently.

"So, Demetri keeps telling me," Saphira giggled softly. She paused for a moment. "But are you considering on coming to Forks if the newborn issue keeps getting more conspicuous?"

"Possibly," Aro said softly. "My brothers and I did think about it. I know Alice is watching my decisions as well."

"But she should not be worried if you came here as she knows I am here," Saphira points out. "I know it would be concern about Bella, since she's not yet a vampire, but she should not be worried."

"It wouldn't matter, it is fine if they want to protect Edward's mate," Caius said bluntly. "It is too bad they won't turn her now."

"Caius, she has a lot more family alive who love her and want to still see her," Saphira explained. "They are making preparations, but they need to be careful. Unlike me, Bella simply cannot become a vampire right now. She will be graduating from school soon though."

"At least you seem to be aware of what's happening," Aro said slowly. "But since you are queen, you also need to enforce the law."

Saphira rolled her eyes. "Aro, they are not breaking any laws," She said softly. "I know you think they are, but Bella will be a vampire. I think their approach is fine, and you should trust my judgement too. Especially if I am the queen."

There was a brief pause. "You are right, amore," Marcus said gently. "We are very happy you are finding your own approach to these delicate situations. Aro, Caius it is best we allow Saphira to learn and to become the queen we hope for her to be."

Saphira smiled at the encouragement from Marcus. "Thank you, Marcus," She said softly. "Amore."

"You're welcome il mio amore," He said sweetly.

"We trust you Saphira," Aro said gently. "But we will always be worried until you are home and safe. Have sweet dreams, il mio amore."

Saphira smiled. "I will call you tomorrow, farewell."

She hung up the phone and sighed deeply. She chuckled softly as she laid back against the pillow, staring at the ceiling of the bedroom. It was still surreal for her. She pinched her arm firmly, and still she did not wake up. She shrugs and stood up to brush her teeth in the bathroom. At least she knows in her heart this was not a dream, not matter how much she tries convincing herself otherwise.

 **Translation:**

 **il mio amore: My love**

 **Amore: Love**

 **la nostra colomba: Our dove**

 **Colomba: Dove**


	8. Chapter 8

Saphira slowly woke after her very, well rested night sleep after her day yesterday. That spa experience really helped her to relax enough to sleep quite well. She could only imagine what it would be like when she lived in Italy, sleep would probably be as good or better with her mates by her side. She didn't know what time it was, but she didn't care. She had time. She would be home in time to get things ready for work tomorrow, which meant a quick trip to the stores to shop for what she needed since Demetri had her leave thanks to Aro, Caius and Marcus. But she really wasn't complaining at all. She was curious about how the Cullens went with dealing with Victoria, and considered calling them to find out. She did wonder if Bella knew what was going on before going to Florida with Edward to see her mother. If not, she doubts Bella would be very impressed with being lied to. Stretching her arms and legs, Saphira really didn't feel the need to get out of bed, but she was hungry. Her stomach was growling and she really didn't want to get out to even get food. She sat up, yawning and stretching her arms again when she heard a knock on the bedroom door.

"Come in," Saphira responded wearily.

She watched the door open with Demetri coming through with a tray of hot food. "Morning Saphira, you have slept in a bit so I thought I would bring breakfast to you," He said softly.

Saphira was surprised and glanced at the tray to see pancakes, bacon, eggs, toast, sausages, French toast, fruit and a glass of juice, that was a lot of food even for her. But it smelt very, very good and her stomach agreed with her.

"I am pretty sure only the kings should be doing this for me," Saphira teased as Demetri set the tray over her knees.

He frowned, looking concerned suddenly. "Am I in trouble?"

"You really miss a good joke," Saphira giggled as she grabbed the knife and fork to begin cutting into the bacon to start eating. "Hopefully I will be able to help you vampires relax and be able to laugh."

Demetri smiled slightly. "I will try harder to pick up on those things Saphira," He said softly. "But it will be true that Aro, Caius and Marcus will probably bring you breakfast when you wake up."

"I am curious to see how good your cooking is after all the years of just drinking blood," Saphira said. "You can't exactly taste or eat food, so all you can do is follow recipes."

"I am not sure how the kings plan on ensuring you have good food," Demetri said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "But I do think they might find a way either by finding a human chief to hire or have one of the vampires living in Volterra to learn how to cook."

"And you'd need humans to taste test the food anyway," Saphira adds as she chewed on some bacon.

Demetri glanced at the food Saphira is eating. "At least what you are having appears to be appetizing," He said as he observed her eating. "The food called cereal looks very unappealing to me. I can't understand how you humans actually like it."

Saphira chuckled softly. "Oh, don't worry, we really do love out cereal and it can be good for you if it isn't sugary cereal," She said softly. "I prefer toast though."

"I hope you don't expect cereal as a breakfast option in Volterra," Demetri said softly. "The kings will only have you eat the best. And cereal…we would not consider it the best thing for you to have. Oats would be different since they're good for you and you can add honey and fruit to it with milk instead of sugar."

Saphira nods, understanding why Demetri would say that. Of course, she would be eating the best food they had to offer, and why shouldn't she? She can definitely live without eating cereal so she really wasn't going to complain about it. She also expected to have delicacy foods as well, like lobster and a lot of Italy's finest cuisine which she would absolutely love.

"Did I sleep in too long?" Saphira asked curiously.

"A bit, it is nine at the moment and we should head back to Forks soon," Demetri said softly. "The issue with this Victoria should have been dealt with by now, and you need to shop."

Saphira smiled. "I do plan on calling them to find out," She said softly. "Or go to their house to talk to them in person about it. And yes, I do need to go and purchase food. I might be able to get what I really need at least."

Demetri smiled and nods. "I believe they managed to get rid of the vampire, but the issue in Seattle isn't really going away either," He said. "I was watching a lot of the reports about the killings and disappearances last night."

"The newborns are getting out of hand," Saphira said with a long sigh.

"Indeed," Demetri agreed. "But you shouldn't worry about it too much Saphira. We will take care of it."

"No offence, but I do worry," Saphira said, glancing up at Demetri as she chewed on a piece of pancake. "I am allowed to be concerned by these things Demetri, especially since it is my job as well."

The vampire smiled and nods. "I understand," He said as he stood up. "I shall leave you to finish your food and I will help get the room cleaned so we can leave."

Saphira nods. "Thanks Demetri," She said before he left the room.

At least he didn't enter her room too quickly, that would have startled her if someone suddenly appeared in her room. At least she would be able to laugh about it later.

Saphira finished her breakfast, surprised she was able to eat everything, but she knew she wasn't going to eat anything all day until night. She got dressed out of her pyjamas and brushed the knots out of her hair before putting it into two braids. When she was decent Demetri offered to take her suitcase to the car which she allowed him to while she made sure that the room wasn't dirty. It wasn't too bad, but she did make sure the workers would not have to do too much to clean the room for the next guest. When she was done one of the workers came in and took the tray away with the plates and utensils, and Saphira left to go down to the reception where Demetri was waiting and they gave back to the key before leaving.

"Is it okay if I drive home?" Saphira asked the vampire before they reached the car.

He looked at her in surprise. "You think it is safe?"

"Sure, besides I kind of want to go straight to the shops back in Forks," Saphira nods with a smile. "You also look like you might need to hunt."

That was true, Demetri's eyes have darkened and she knew he will need to hunt. He nods and smiled at her. "Thank you for being selfless, but I won't be gone too long," He said, opening the boot of the car to put the suitcase in. "Do try and stay safe."

Saphira smiled as he suddenly was not there when he pulled down the boot, she knew he had run off to hunt. She walked to the driver side and opened the door to get in. She decided she would call Carlisle on the way, glad that she had purchased a car with blue tooth in it. She pulled out of the hotel parking lot and began driving back towards Parks.

"Ring Carlisle," She orders the blue tooth system and it dials the number on her phone and began ringing.

After a few rings he picks up. "Good morning Saphira, how was your night away from Forks?" Carlisle asked gently.

"One of the best night sleeps I've had in a long time," Saphira replied with a slight smile. "But I am not calling to talk about how my night was Carlisle. How did you and your family go last night?"

She heard a deep sigh, and she knew it wasn't good news. "We were unable to catch Victoria," He replied slowly. "She managed to get onto the Quileute land and she got away because Emmett became too focused on trying to catch her, which caused the wolves to turn their attention on us."

"Really?" Saphira was a bit disappointed about it.

"Sadly yes," Carlisle said. "But we don't know why she came through that part of the forest as of yet. Alice is still watching her decisions."

It did sound very strange to her. As long as Victoria never went near her house she would be fine, but she would have Demetri scour her home for any trace of vampire activity. At least it would give her a peace of mind.

"Was Bella aware of what happened?" Saphira asked curiously.

"No, and Edward felt it was best to not tell her," Carlisle replied slowly. "I didn't agree with his decision on that as Bella would rather know about it than be lied to."

"Oh, that is very true," She agreed. "Being lied to is not very nice."

"Yes, but Edward will have to tell her someday or she will find out from someone else about Victoria," Carlisle said with a chuckle. "Are you on your way back to Forks?"

"Yes, I am," Saphira replied. "I am going to go shopping and stock up my fridge for a week at least."

"The original plan for a different day," The vampire joked softly.

"I am a little concerned that the wolves will find out I am the mate of the vampire kings," Saphira said softly. "If the unborns happen to come to Forks, and they want to know why, I doubt they would trust me."

"They probably would feel sorry for you," Carlisle said in a reassuring tone. "Quiluetes have something called imprinting, which is similar to your bond with Aro, Caius and Marcus. They don't choose who they imprint on, but the person they imprint on is all that really matters to them. So…they probably would feel sorry for you as they would understand a bit about the bond you have."

"That's nice to know…I think," Saphira frowned slightly. "Nonetheless, I guess we would have to deal with how they react with me being your queen."

Carlisle chuckled softly. "Indeed, and we will keep them from hurting you."

Saphira was glad, even though she didn't want to hurt the wolves. "Well, thanks for telling me the update Carlisle," She said softly. "Right now, I just want to get back home and get what I need."

"You are most welcome, Saphira," He said warmly. "Have a safe trip."

Saphira smiled as she hung up the call. She was glad to hear from Carlisle, but she was no less worried about what might happen now. With Victoria still alive, that begs the question of what the next move will be. She figured she might end up finding out so she could simply focus on her shopping. When she returned to Forks she did exactly that. She wanted to grab the items she had written down on a list yesterday to purchase, if she could. She was not someone who took their time with shopping for things like some people were. She was the type to go in, get what she needs and go out, and it saved her a lot of time by doing just that. She returned home with her bags of groceries and got out of the car to take them inside to unpack before needing to get the suitcase from the book of her car. When she entered her home, nothing seemed different. She glanced around to make sure nothing was changed and nothing seemed different. When she walked to the kitchen though, she saw a young man dressed in black with short, dark blonde hair. She didn't recognise him until he turned to face her, making her look surprised.

"Riley Biers?" She said with a frown, noting his red eyes.

He frowned. "You know me?"

"Um, yes," Saphira said uncertainly, before shaking her head. "You don't remember me from school? You are a little younger than me, I know you were in a grade lower than me. But you used to hang with me at the cafeteria."

He frowned, looking over her before smiling slightly. "Yes, yes I do remember," He said slowly. "The first time I met you, I was getting food for myself when I accidentally tripped you and spilled your food. I felt so guilty."

"I'm glad you remember," Saphira said, not moving closer to him. "You've been missing for a long while Riley, your parents are very worried about you. They miss you."

Riley seemed to look sad slightly. "They can't know what has happened to me."

Saphira wondered why he was here. "I can see you've changed Riley," She said, making him look at her with a frown. "I assume Victoria asked you to come here."

"How…how did you know?" He asked with a deeper frown.

"I know about vampires Riley," She said with a slight smile. "I am a mate to the kings, the leaders of the Volturi. I met them in Italy before I came home."

"I've never heard of the Volturi," Riley said. "Who are they?"

"They are the ones who created laws and enforce," Saphira explained. "I believe you know about the unborn issue growing in Seattle. That kind of thing is forbidden and destroyed by the Volturi as it is a risk to their existence. I don't know what Victoria promised you, but I would leave. Demetri, he's one of the Elite Guard of the Volturi, he's keeping watch. And he will kill you."

Riley was shocked and scared. He was here to kill her, but it seemed he can't now. He was worried and knew he should leave.

"Alright," He said softly. "I will…let Victoria know about you. Hopefully she won't make me kill you."

"That's why you're here," Saphira said with a sad expression. "But you should go Riley. Please."

Riley smiled slightly. "It was nice to see you again Saphira, I just wish…I didn't even know you were the one Victoria wanted me to kill," He said softly. "I'm sorry. I will leave you alone."

And he was gone after that. Saphira let out a sigh of relief. She felt angry that he was a vampire, but she also knew he was breaking the law. She knows Demetri will probably try and kill him on sight now. Especially with his scent in the house. Saphira was shaken, but okay. She began to bring her groceries in, but she can't get rid of Riley out of her mind. She had to tell the Cullens that he was loyal to Victoria, but she didn't know how she could. Edward will probably see it in her mind anyway. And she also had to wait for Demetri, he is going to get very protective once he picks up Riley's scent and the pressure of making her go to Italy will only increase.


	9. Chapter 9

Ten minutes after Riley left her home, Saphira unpacked her groceries and put them away. She wanted to keep her mind occupied for a bit before Demetri shows up demanding to know who was in her house. Once she had put the groceries away she went upstairs to unpack her suitcase. She didn't know how she should feel about Riley Biers being a vampire thanks to Victoria. She was conflicted with her feelings as she was angry and sad about it. She knew his parents had the right to know what has happened to him, but they couldn't. They will never know about what happened to their son. Saphira knew how important family was and how close it can be so it was a little hard to take for her. Demetri still hasn't showed up. She knew he was hunting so he might still be feeding somewhere, but she didn't know. Saphira now knew she had to think about going to Volterra since Riley was in her house and that Victoria knows she is with the Cullens. While Victoria may be ignorant that Saphira was her queen, because she was threatening Saphira the girl had no problem having the red-haired vampire destroyed and burned to pieces. She grabbed her pink pyjamas and silver panties before going into the bathroom to have a hot shower. She felt the real need to clear her thoughts and really think hard and deeply about what has happened. She locked the door and stripped, noticing her expression in the mirror was emotionless before stepping into the shower, feeling steam rising around her. She leaned her head against the tile wall, looking at the ground at the droplets ran down her skin into the drain. While she contemplated a lot of scenarios in her mind about how things will turn out now, the end was still the same. It was time to make an official time to fly over to Italy and live with her mates. She would need to give at least four to six weeks' notice to the hospital about resigning and that would also give her time to try and sell her house items and put the house and her car on the market. She was sure she could drive one of the Cullens' cars around if she needed to.

She was brought out of her thoughts when she heard a low bang on the door. Saphira gasped as she was startled and relaxed as she knew it was Demetri.

"My queen, someone's been in your house!" He said in a worried tone. "Are you alright?"

"I am fine Demetri," Saphira replied calmly. "And I know, his name is Riley Biers. He was here, but he didn't hurt me."

"He's a vampire, and being in your house is a huge alarm bell for me," Demetri said in an earnest, angry tone. "Saphira, will you go to Volterra?"

"Yes, but give me six weeks at the most," She replied firmly. "I will write a resignation letter tonight to hand to my employer and start putting things up for sale. It will take time to resign and to get things organized. I also need to purchase a plane ticket."

"The plane can be arranged, the kings will want to send their private jet to get you," Demetri said almost excitedly, before speaking in a more serious tone. "I am pleased you now have decided to go. Who is Riley Biers?"

"Riley was a boy I knew in school," Saphira explained as she grabbed her shampoo to start cleaning her hair. "He had moved to Seattle sometime ago, and that's all I know. He wasn't a vampire then, his parents reported him missing a year ago so I assume Victoria turned him than. He is not the cause of the newborns."

Demetri was silent as he listened to Saphira and was quiet a few more minutes before speaking. "I agree, if what you say is true, then Victoria is whom we must be more concerned with," He said slowly.

"That is true, she sent him to kill me," Saphira said softly.

She heard a venomous snarl from Demetri which surprised Saphira. "Victoria will not go unpunished," Demetri declared. "I shall speak with the kings and have the guard sent over to deal with her. A threat to you is unforgivable, and your old friendly may end up killed too."

Saphira knew that Riley might be killed by the Volturi too and she understood why. Even though Riley spared her, he still was there and that was enough of a threat. Next time, she might not be as lucky.

"I will be sad if Riley was killed, but I will not stop you either," Saphira said to him slowly. "Do what you must to protect me."

"I am pleased you've made the wise decision," Demetri said happily. "Shall I tell the kings your decision?"

"No, I want to," Saphira said quickly. "You can tell them about Riley and have the guard come to Forks to help you protect me."

"Very well," The vampire said with a sigh. "I shall contact them with the information while you finish your shower."

Saphira heard his footsteps walk away from the door and she was glad he was here. She knew Aro, Caius and Marcus will now be very alarmed and may even come to America now that her life was threatened. She was not too sure of course.

Saphira knew there was one real important thing for her to do before she left America. And that was to move on and say good-bye to her parents. That was the hardest part for her, was leaving her roots behind. She did wonder how her parents would react if they were alive. Her father would refuse to let her go no doubt, he was always protective of her whereas her mother would sit down and talk with her about the decisions she might make while living in Volterra. But since they have been gone, in her heart she knew they would want her to spread her wings and be happy. Even if it meant living with vampires and perhaps even becoming a vampire, a creature that kills in order to feed. She soon finished cleaning herself and standing in the shower so she got out to dry her skin and put on her pyjamas. She walked out of the bathroom, noticing Demetri wasn't near as she walked to her bedroom to brush her hair. She would wait until he let her know that he was off the phone with the kings before calling them herself. Once her hair was decent, Saphira grabbed her laptop and sat on her bed, turning it on to begin typing her resignation letter. It would certainly surprise her employer about the decision, but Saphira was going to have an alibi about it by saying she managed to get a really good job in Italy and have been finalizing arrangements to fly over to Italy to live there. Her colleagues would most likely think that will be an awesome thing to have and being an opportunity most people might be envious of, it should go down well. Saphira did hope that Aro, Caius and Marcus would be patient until then. As she was typing her resignation letter she heard a knock on her door.

"The kings have decided to send the guard to help me protect you Saphira," Demetri said when Saphira looked up from her computer. "They are agitated now."

"I can feel it," Saphira said with a sigh. "But hopefully they wait a little longer."

"You will have to find out since you will be the one to tell them you're going to Italy soon," He said with a smile. "I hope you don't mind, I will be staying inside the house until the guard get here."

"That is fine," Saphira said softly as she looked back to her computer and continued writing her resignation later. "I shall give them a ring shortly to make the announcement."

"They want to hear to from you, so don't keep them waiting too long Saphira," He said slowly as he turned to leave.

Saphira chuckled a little. At least he didn't refer to her as 'my queen' for the last minute, but she knew it will change soon. She stared at her laptop screen for a few minutes and decided to finish her resignation letter. When she finished she decided that she would call the Volturi to tell them what she plans to do.

It only took one ring before they picked up. "Saphira! Are you okay?" Aro's worried voice asked. "Demetri told us what has happened. Please il mio amore, will you come home?"

Saphira smiled slightly. "Aro, relax," She said calmly. "I am okay. Maybe a little angry at Victoria for changing an old friend, but I am fine. I have some good news to tell you, so please relax and let me tell you."

"Il mio amore, it is hard to relax when someone was in your house to kill you," Caius said in an agitated tone. "I will be happy to hear your good news amour, please tell us."

Saphira chuckled a little. Of course, they were not going to relax until she was safe with them at Volterra, she decided she will do expect them to relax until she is home. "I am going to come to Italy very soon now i miei amori , at the most you have six weeks the wait and you will not have to worry about me," She said gently, hearing their excited gasps and feeling their happiness grow. "At the very least I can leave in four weeks, I know it may feel like a long time, but it will be worth it."

"That is excellent news!" Aro said happily with a high-pitched laugh. The laugh was not expected and Saphira thought it was weird, but she will get used to it. "We will send out private jet to Seattle when you are ready to leave ma dolce colomba. Non vedo l'ora di vederti."

She had a big smile. "Just make sure you don't try and run into me again with a car," Saphira said jokingly.

She heard the three vampires chuckling softly. "That will not happen, we can assure you," Marcus said while still chuckling. "It will be so great to laugh like this again. I am glad you are able to make us laugh so easily."  
"I am glad I can do that for you," Saphira said sweetly. "I don't even have to be with you to warm your hearts."

"Our hearts only warm for il nostro amore, but I will be honest we can be cruel," Aro said to Saphira gently. "It is something you will see, even though we would rather you don't."

Saphira was surprised and glad that Aro had admitted that they had a cruel streak in them. She had suspected the Volturi were like that, but at least she knows now. "Did you really have to tell her that now Aro?" Caius asked Aro.

"Why not? It is best that she knows before she comes home," Aro said to Caius softly. "It would frighten her if she does not know. And the guard are the same."

"Caius, I am happy Aro told me," Saphira said plainly. "I had already suspected that you are not kind and gentle as you are towards me. I appreciate the warning…but I am still not sure of what I should expect."

There was a brief pause before Marcus spoke. "I am happy you know too," He said softly. "But I also should say that perhaps it is best that you do not come up with an expectation of our cruelty to other vampires or humans in case it goes beyond that expectation and scares you. You may see some of our coldness from the guard when they arrive in Forks to protect you. We may try to keep you from seeing a lot of our meetings from the start until you have been eased into it. I know humans carry more sympathy than what we do and you may always have a soft heart for certain people."

"I can't really argue with that," Saphira said with a sigh. "When should I expect the guard to arrive anyway?"

"Possibly tomorrow or the day after," Caius replied. "During that time, Demetri will be quite close to you except for when you are at work. When the guard arrive, Jane maybe the only one staying in your house when you are home while the others patrol the area."

"That sounds like a good plan," Saphira said softly.

"You normally have other things to add to these issues," Aro said with slight concern. "Don't il mio amore, we will not let anything happen to you."

She smiled slightly. The vampires have learned a lot about her in the short time. The scare in her kitchen really did make her feel the need to depend on the vampires a little bit more and she didn't feel that was wrong. The kings could obviously sense that and despite that she had told them she was okay; her feelings did betray her but that said nothing.

"Thank you Aro, I look forward to seeing you soon," Saphira said gently. "Ti amo."

"Anche noi ti amiamo," The three vampires said in unison before Saphira hung up.

Saphira sighed deeply as she put her phone on her bed side table. She looked at her computer before she got up to turn on her printer at the desk in her room and print the resignation letter. Once she printed it, she signed the bottom and put it into an envelope that she would give to her boss in the morning. Once that was done, she decided watch some movies for the rest of the day. She didn't feel like leaving the house now and she knew Demetri would stay in the house. The vampire was worried that Saphira would become nervous about leaving the house now that she knew Victoria wanted to kill her now, and he would understand. He hoped when the rest of the guard arrived, Saphira would be more comfortable.

 **Translation:**

 **Il mio amore** **: my love**

 **I miei amori** **: my loves**

 **il nostro amore: our love**

 **dolce colomba: sweet dove**

 **Non vedo l'ora di vederti** **: I cannot wait to see you**

 **Ti amo** **: I love you**

 **Anche noi ti amiamo** **: We love you too**


	10. Chapter 10

When the next day came around, Saphira ended up waking up earlier than normal. She has not slept as well as she wanted after finding Riley in her home. She knew it was simply the worry getting to her, but she was going to try not let that bother her. She didn't get out of bed straight away, she stared at the ceiling until it was seven. She got up to get dressed for work. She had not heard Demetri which was fine, she knew he was in her house keeping an eye out for any rogue vampire. When she was dressed and had her hair tied back, Saphira walked out of her bedroom down to the kitchen where Demetri was waiting. She noticed there were pancakes and toast on the table for her.

"What a surprise," Saphira said softly. "Thanks Demetri, and good morning."

Demetri chuckled softly. "I thought good morning came first," He said with a smirk. "Times have really changed."

Saphira sat at the table to begin eating. "I think I was more surprised first," She said softly. "Luckily, if this is your first time making food it all looks good."

"I actually had to look on the internet for the instructions," Demetri admits as he watched Saphira cut the pancake. "Cooking is definitely something that requires patience. And us vampires are used to things moving quickly."

Saphira chuckled softly. "Well, that means you have a virtue to learn all over again," She said as she took the first bite. She chewed it quietly before swallowing. "Very good Demetri. It is a good thing vampires seem to pay attention to detail. The Cullens are good at cooking too, they were apparently rather happy to use the kitchen for the first time."

"I never understand why they felt the need to install one," Demetri said plainly. "It is like they were expecting Bella. Maybe Alice saw her coming."

"I would say that is a possibility," Saphira said with a slight nod. "The kings are excited for me to go to Volterra soon."

"I can only imagine," The vampire said with a thoughtful expression. "I do wonder what kind of a welcome you will have when you arrive home. I am sure that a celebration maybe thrown in your honour."

"A celebration? I will be fascinated about how vampires celebrate," Saphira said with a smirk. "It would have to be very loud."

Demetri looked at her slightly surprised before chuckling. "Indeed, they are, but are very rare as well," He said softly. "I hope your boss will not be angry at you for resigning."

"He might be disappointed," Saphira said as she continued to eat her breakfast. "But, he will understand. The letter has an alibi of why I am resigning."

"And that is?" Demetri asked curiously with a raised eyebrow.

"That I have received a job offer in Italy that I have accepted and will be flying over in a few weeks," Saphira explained. "It is something that happens among humans from time to time. Not often, but it happens."

"Good, I am sure he can't force you to stay," The vampire said with a smile.

"No, he can't," Saphira chuckled softly as she finished the pancakes.

She felt a lot better now that she had a conversation with Demetri and was more confident in leaving for work. When she finished he breakfast, the vampire offered to clean up the kitchen so she could go to work. That suited her well and Saphira drove to work soon after.

Her boss was indeed disappointed that she was resigning from her job, but he was very happy and supportive of her supposed new job in Italy. Saphira was going to finish work in two weeks, but her boss decided to let her finish in one week so she had more time to get things together, which was good so she could possibly go to Italy sooner than planned. When it came to lunch time, Saphira was in the staff room eating a salad roll she had purchased and was reading a magazine when Carlisle approached her.

"Hello Saphira," He said softly. "I hear the boss took your resignation well."

Saphira looked up at the vampire with a smile. "He did, and I know he is a bit disappointed, but at least he was also supportive," She said with a chuckle. "Anyway, I hear you weren't able to catch Victoria."

"Unfortunately no, and Bella has just learned that Edward lied to her about it," Carlisle said softly. "I did warn him that it would not be a good idea. He learned the hard way."

She could only imagine how Bella would be feeling about that. "Being nearly a hundred years old and he still has a lot to learn," She joked with a chuckle.

"Oh, and by the way Alice wanted to ask if you'd like to come over to our house for the graduation party she is throwing," He said with a smile. "I know you might be busy with getting ready to go to Italy, but I am sure can find time to join in."

"I don't see why not," Saphira said. "I am sure Demetri will be fine letting you keep an eye on me. And the guard too when they arrive."

Carlisle frowned a little. "The rest of the guard are coming? Why is it necessary?" He asked, clearly concerned about their presence.

"Well…because Riley Biers was in my house last night," She replied slowly.

"Riley Biers? The boy who's been missing a whole year?" Carlisle asked, and was answered by a nod. "Is…is he a…?"

"Yes, and he's working with Victoria," Saphira explained gently. "Apparently she wants me out of the picture too and probably has no idea who my mates are."

"This is concerning Saphira, and now I understand why Aro feels the need to send them," The vampire said as he stroked his chin. "But thank you for telling me. I shall alert the rest of the family when I have finished my shift."

Saphira nods as Carlisle walked away. She finished her lunch before returning to work herself. There was a lot to deal with at the moment.

When her shift was over, Saphira decided to get some pizza for dinner as she felt a bit lazy to even cook something at home. So, she was having a junk food night. When she arrived home, she made her way to living room where she saw Demetri and three other vampires.

"This is a surprise," Saphira said with a smile.

"My queen, it is a blessing to finally meet you," The female vampire said gently as she walked forward, her bold red eyes looking into Saphira's green ones. "I am Jane. I want you to know that any vampire trying to kill you will not get far with my ability."

Saphira smiled as she looked at the blonde-haired vampire. "And may I ask what ability you have?"

"Of course, I create the illusion of pain to anyone I please," She replied confidently. "It stops everyone in their tracks."

"How fascinating," Saphira said as she placed the pizza box down onto the coffee table and sat down to turn on the TV. She looked up at the other two vampires. "And you are?"

"Sorry, my queen, I am Alec," One of the dark-haired vampires replied. "I am Jane's brother; my sensory deprivation ability will be available for your protection. We all were startled to hear from the kings about your encounter with the rogue vampire."

"I am pleased to meet you and that you will help protect me," Saphira said softly. "I am sure…it was quite a scare, and I apologize for it."

"It wasn't your fault, my queen," The second dark-haired vampire said. "You and I had already met, just not on the best of terms. I am Felix, and I sincerely apologize for almost hitting you with the car."

Saphira frowned slightly before realizing what he meant. "Oh! I hope your eyes were checked since that happened," She teased, making the strong vampire smirk slightly.

"Indeed, I have had that and I am not allowed to drive for quite some time," Felix said softly. "How was your day at work? Demetri here said you didn't seem like yourself this morning."

"You probably can't blame her after finding a lonely, unknown vampire in her house," Jane said as she sat next to Saphira who began eating the pizza. The vampire looked at the pizza and frowned. "That looks awfully oily."

The girl looked at Jane in surprise and swallowed the piece in her mouth. "It's pretty good, pizza is an Italian dish you know," Saphira said as she took another bite.

"That maybe, it still looks oily," The vampire said bluntly. "But…it does look more appetizing than cereal. Demetri showed us around and what you tend to eat."

"You must have been here for a couple hours than," Saphira said after listening to Jane.

"We landed in Seattle about two this afternoon and made it to Forks not long after," Jane said. "We have been eager to meet you. Aro, Caius and Marcus almost got on the plane themselves to be here for you."

Saphira was silent for a moment after Jane said her words. "Well, if they did come I would not be complaining," She said with a blush in her cheeks.

The vampires laughed loudly as her response, thinking it was cute, Saphira giggled with them as she knew what they were thinking.

"I am glad the kings have you as their mate," Alec said with a big smile on his face. "It is really hard to make us laugh."

"Tell me about it," Saphira joked as she looked at Demetri. "I've told so many that flew over your head Demetri."

He chuckled softly. "Yes, but I am learning and relaxing, my queen."

"Back to the 'my queen' I see, just call me Saphira for now please," Saphira said to the guard. "I like people calling me by my name more than by my status."

"As you wish Saphira," Jane said with a soft smile. "I hope these next couple weeks will be easy for you."

"We will see," Saphira said with a sigh.

Saphira was pleased she has met the rest of the guard, she was surprised there was only four of the main guard, but she suspected that was all they needed. When she went to bed that night, Jane was the only vampire to stay in the house while the other three patrolled the forest. Saphira felt very safe, she considered calling the kings, but decided not to tonight. She didn't feel like talking to them, and not because she was annoyed with them, she simply wanted to have time to herself and she hoped they would understand if they call asking why she hasn't called them. The rest of the week went by rather quickly and nothing was out of the ordinary. The guard often went to Seattle to scour the vampire problem when Saphira was at work. Saphira learned that Bella was almost being guarded by the Cullens, but also by the Quileutes which was an interesting alliance. But she wasn't going to say anything. Even though the guard didn't seem to like when Saphira visited the Cullens, they never stopped her and they weren't too happy when Saphira told them about the graduation party, but Demetri told the rest of the guard it would be a good idea for her to relax after an unsettled week. They agreed and Saphira was happy to look forward to it. She also managed to get Friday off so she would be able to attend Bella's graduation as well. By Friday Saphira had managed to sell a few things and get a few things packed. She still had to say good bye to her parents, but she was stalling on that part because it was a hard part of her to let go.


	11. Chapter 11

Friday finally came around and Saphira had officially finished work. She was quite happy about it and looked forward to going to Bella's graduation and then the party afterwards. She slept in a little later than normal, but she didn't mind and still had time to get ready for the day. Over the last couple days there hasn't been anything unusual around Forks and it seemed the issue in Seattle was not increasing which was also a good thing. The guard did go there during the night once to see the vampires in action, but they themselves did nothing as the newborn army was fairly large even for them to destroy. After having some breakfast Saphira went back upstairs to decide on an outfit. Jane decided to give her opinion.

"I am not dressing to impress Jane," Saphira said after Jane had commented on one of the dresses she showed the vampire. "I am dressing for a party."

"It seems the same to me," She said softly. Jane was sitting at the end of Saphira's bed, watching curiously.

"I keep forgetting you were born and changed in a different time period," Saphira said with a chuckle. "This cocktail dress is made for parties, some women wear them for dates, but I'd imagine my mates would have some more extravagant attire for me to wear."

"That is true, I managed to note your dress size and send it back to Volterra," Jane said softly.

Saphira frowned at that. "What for?"

"The dress makers we have are now making gowns for you," The vampire chuckled. "A couple vampires still possess that skill. As for your party outfit, why not those light, navy jeans and this dark purple blouse?" Jane held up the clothing for Saphira to see. "It is going to be a bit cool tonight."

Saphira looked at it and frowned. "That's the kind of thing Bella wears," She said softly. "Hmm…what about this nice, salmon pink dress?"

Saphira held up the dress, it had a V-neck and had elbow length sleeves, the dress would still show off her shape and would only go to just below her knees. "That is nice, with some pearls and white heels."

"That settles it than," Saphira said, satisfied with the decision as she went into the bathroom to change. "It feels strange having a second opinion from someone."

"Why do you say that?" Jane asked in surprise. "You seemed excited when I asked."

"I know I did, but I guess it feels strange because it was always my mother who gave a second opinion about my outfits," Saphira replied loudly from the bathroom. "It probably was something I never let my friends do because of how close I was with my parents."

"I can sympathize with you on that," The woman said gently. "I…am honoured that you allowed me to help Saphira. I am no mother, but I hope I was good."

"Yes, you were," Saphira said with a chuckle. "I'm dressed now, time for some make up."

Jane stood up and entered the bathroom quickly, startling Saphira slightly. "I'll do your hair," She said with a smile.

"As I said to Demetri, I am never going to get used to you suddenly appearing or disappearing from right next to me," Saphira said to her slowly. "I need to give you all a bell to wear."

Jane laughed loudly as she began brushing Saphira's hair. "He told us that one. Aro, Caius and Marcus were actually practicing their pace when we left," She said. "I think they want to make sure they don't scare you like we do. But I don't think that will work all the time if they need to be in the throne room immediately or if you need them suddenly."

"That is nice to hear, of course I don't expect you all to slow down all the time," Saphira said as she put some primer on her face. "When I get my house on the market I think that will be a good time to leave."

"Have you contacted the real estate for that?" Jane asked curiously.

"Yes, they have yet to come out to take some photos and inspect the house so I have to clean it up a bit," Saphira explained. "Once they do that it will end up on the market. Carlisle will be in charge of selling the house and my car once we get to the airport."

"Sounds like he plans on coming to the airport," She said with a surprised expression as she began braiding Saphira's hair.

"I think all of them do, but we will see," Saphira said as she began applying foundation to her skin. "I plan on…going to the cemetery in a few days though. I would like some company."

Jane frowned for a moment before realizing why. "I will come with you, I do not know how hard it is for you to say a final good bye to your parents, but I will be there for you if you need a shoulder to cry on," She said gently.

Saphira smiled sadly. "I am glad, and I really think of you as a sister or best friend now," She said softly.

"I am glad you feel that way," Jane said softly. "And I will make sure to stay that way. As for the house, perhaps when you go to the graduation and the party I will have the guard and I clean the house for you."

"That would be a big help," Saphira said. "Thanks."

"No problem," The vampire said as she looked at the mirror while connecting two braids together to pin together.

When Saphira's hair and make up was done, she grabbed a pair of white heels and put on some perfume before heading downstairs to the car. The rest of the guard weren't in the house so she suspected they were in the forest as she got into the car to drive to the high school. Upon arriving at the school, she saw the parking lot was full and there were cars parked on the grass and in the street. She chuckled softly and found a park across from the school which was nice and convenient. Once she had parked, she got out of the car and made her way across the street to the school, noting how many parents were here to see their child graduate from high school. It was a very nice sight to see, Saphira never had that when she graduated. Nonetheless, she put on a brave face and met Carlisle outside the room where the graduation was taking place.

"Now don't you look lovely," Carlisle comments when he notices Saphira. "I hope your guests didn't try to change your mind about it."

Saphira smiled at him. "Maybe a little, Jane thought I was dressing to seduce and impress," She said softly. "I understand that she is not used to the modern-day dress code. But I am aware what is waiting for me at Volterra is more extravagant than what I am wearing now."

Carlisle nods. "I can believe that, and I also believe that the kings may allow you to dress how you want as well so you are not forced to wear something you feel uncomfortable in," He said gently. "But you will enjoy your life with them no matter what. For now, lets focus on today and go in to support Bella."

"I agree, enough talk of vampires," Saphira said in a whisper so no one else can hear her.

Carlisle and Esme nods before Esme speaks to Saphira. "I suspect Jane did your hair, it looks really nice," She compliments. "I hope you won't feel too out of place at the party tonight. Considering you are already out of school."

"I shall be fine, I never really celebrated finishing school so it will be good for me anyway," Saphira said softly.

"I'm sorry, but at least you can consider it your own graduation party," Esme said sympathetically, putting her arms around Saphira's shoulders.

The girl nods with a smile. "And I definitely plan on doing that," She said with a chuckle. "Oh, looks like they're letting parents in! We should go inside." Saphira glanced around. "Where's Charlie?"

"He wanted to get here early, so he's probably at the front of the line right now," Carlisle replied. "He is ecstatic to be able to attend his daughter's graduation seeing as he has missed out on Bella's life."

Saphira chuckled. "I guess it will be one thing Renee will miss, but I am glad the Charlie gets to see this pivotal moment in Bella's life," Saphira said as she glanced at the crowd, trying to spot the man but had no luck. "I know too well how these moments should mean to everyone."

"Indeed," Carlisle said gently as his expression turned kind. "Try not to get to sad about the past tonight Saphira."

"I won't, my parents would want me to have fun," She said as they get to where the line was to enter the hall, and found that it was moving. "Thanks for caring. And it seems, we've arrived just in time too."

The vampires smiled at her and all three wait patiently as the crowd of people slowly entered the hall of the school where the ceremony would take place. It took about five minutes before they entered and Saphira was quick to spot the golden graduation gowns and caps. She smiled as she followed the Cullens to take a seat.

When seated, she leaned towards Esme and asked her question. "Will you be adding a bit of gold to your art piece?" Saphira asked with a smirk.

Esme looked at her and laughed heartily. "Indeed, we will," She said. "It will look very nice."

Once everyone had been seated, the principal of the school walked to the podium to state his great pleasure about the students that were about the graduated and how proud he was of them. It was a common thing that most school principals have done which was perfectly fine, but Saphira listened quietly until one of Bella's friends, Jessica, walked up to the podium to give her speech. A speech that was meant to inspire the rest of the graduates before they are all called the stand to get their certificate.

"When we were five, they asked us what we wanted to be when we grew up," The girl began confidently. "Our answers were things like astronaut, president or, in my case, a princess. When we were ten, they asked us again. We answered rock star, cowboy or, in my case, a gold medallist. But now we've grown up, they want a serious answer. Well, how about this? Who the hell know?" The crowd broke into cheers and applause before Jessica continued her speech. "This isn't the time to make hard-and-fast decisions, this is the time to make mistakes. Take the wrong train and get stuck somewhere, fall in love, a lot. Major in philosophy, because there's no way to make a career out of that. Change your mind, and change it again because nothing's permanent. So, make as many mistakes as you can. That way, someday, when they ask what we want to be, we won't have to guess. We'll know."

The crowd applauds at Jessica's speech as it was very inspirational, even Saphira felt elevated. She knew she couldn't follow that speech now that she was the mate of the Volturi, but she was sure there were things she will learn and make mistakes from and be able to find a balance when she finally lives there. But right now, she wasn't focused on her mates, she was focused on supporting Bella's graduation and when they began calling the students, one-by-one, to the stand Charlie and the Cullens all stand to applaud her moment. It was very sweet, and it was almost too much for Saphira to handle. She meant no disrespect to Bella, but she couldn't help but feel the emotion of not having her parents when she graduated wash over her.

Saphira stood up to leave. "Sorry, I need some air," Saphira said to a surprise Carlisle and Esme as she gently scoots out of the row and out of the hall.

Saphira entered the hallway and took a deep breath, feeling tears sting her eyes. "Saphira," Carlisle's gentle voice seemed to sooth her mind. "I'm sorry you felt overwhelmed."

"Thanks Carlisle, I feel sad and stupid for it too," She said with a hard swallow. "I mean no disrespect."  
"I know, none of the students here have lost their parents like you," He said sympathetically, putting his hands on her shoulders gently. "You don't need to stay. You can head to the house now if you want, we'll be there soon to set up the party."

Saphira turned to look at Carlisle. "I appreciate your kind words Carlisle, I will see you at your house," She said with a small smile before leaving the vampire in the hall alone.

Saphira soon felt her phone vibrate and grabbed it out of her purse to see it was the Volturi calling. Her mates must be worried about her due to the sudden change in emotion. She wished they were here right now, she had a desire to just curl up in one of their arms and stay there for hours. She sighed and answered the call, knowing she'd only worry them if she ignored their call.

"Hey," Saphira said glumly.

"Bellisimo, why do you feel sad?" Aro's voice asked in a concerned tone. "Did someone say something to you?"

"It's nothing like that Aro," She replied gently while holding back a sob. "It is nothing anyone did. It's just…emotions that has followed me for years."

"Something about your parents?" Marcus said sympathetically. "I am sorry you feel that way Saphira. I wish we were there to comfort you."

She smiled as tears fall down her cheek. "I wish you were here too," She said solemnly. "It's this kind of moment…I wish you were here."

"Don't cry dolce colomba," Aro said in a soft, purring tone. "You will be with us soon, and we will hold you as tight and as long as you need."

Their words were always so comforting, it is what she needed as she reached for the door handle, but she paused as she noticed a figure across the road near the school. Her emotions quickly change to nervousness and she recognized the figure.

"Saphira?" Caius asked with concern. "What's happening?"

Saphira let out a breath. "Riley," She whispered. "He's across the street."  
"That rogue vampire?" Aro snarled. "He wouldn't dare to attack you at this time of day!"

Saphira blinked and he was gone, but she was still nervous. "He's gone…" She said as she glanced around to make sure the vampire was not there. "I'm fine."

"No, no you're not," Caius responded quickly with worry. "You should come to Italy earlier, if that vampire and his vengeful mate are appearing to you in public, in daylight, that is extremely worrisome."

"I can't, I still have another three weeks at the very least before I can go," Saphira replied as she cautiously stepped into the vehicle and closed the door. "I wish I could come Caius…I wish it was so simple."

The vampire sighed, clearly not liking what he had just heard. "I feel it's an excuse now," He hissed.

"Please be patient Caius, I also have to say good bye," Saphira said softly as she starts her car. "And you know how hard it will be for me to let go."

"Yes, I know," The vampire responded. "I just think we should travel to meet you, we won't car what the Cullens do during that time, we just want to be with you."

"I appreciate that Caius, but we only have a short time apart," She said with a smile. "I know you want to protect me, I feel it, but I am okay."

"Please be careful Saphira, you don't know what Riley might do next," Aro warned gently. "I do not know how I will live if you were killed."

Saphira just smiled. "I promise to be careful, I am heading to the Cullens right now myself," She said softly.

"At least they will keep you safe," Aro said, almost mumbling before speaking in a loving tone. "L'oceano può separarci, ma il nostro amore è forte e noi ti ameremo per sempre."

Saphira put her hand to her heart at his words. "Il tuo amore non finisce mai di stupirmi," She responds sweetly. "I'll call you later."

She hangs up, feeling much better right now. Despite all that, she could not help but glance around again and hope that she will not be followed to the Cullen house.

Translation:

Bellisimo: Beautiful

Dolce Columba: Sweet dove

L'oceano può separarci, ma il nostro amore è forte e noi ti ameremo per sempre: The ocean can separate us, but our love is strong and we will love you forever

Il tuo amore non finisce mai di stupirmi: Your love never ceases to amaze me


	12. Chapter 12

The winding, dirt road seemed to go one for a long time as Saphira drove to the Cullen house. She glanced at her side mirrors and out the window as if she was expecting to see Riley there. She wondered why he would show himself to her like that, maybe it was a warning or perhaps Victoria still wanted her dead. Nonetheless, Saphira did worry that he might do something to her and cause her to be severely injured or dead. Especially since now it was more dangerous. When she saw the house, she again glanced around cautiously as she parked her car close to the steps. She could see Emmett and Rosalie in the kitchen, obviously cooking up a storm for their guests and that made her smile as she got out of the car to make her way to the front door. She ran up to it and entered with a sigh, she pulled off her jacket and hung it on the hanger before making her way upstairs, following the delicious aromas.

"Hey Saphira! Nice of you to join us!" Emmett said loudly in his friendly, excited voice. "We appreciate you wanting to help, but everything except the food is done."

Saphira could see that was true, everything was set up. The tables, decorations, placements of where the food would be and even the dance floor was set up. She simply smiled and walked to the kitchen.

"I can see that, but I am good in the kitchen so I can help with that," Saphira said softly. "What are you guys making right now?"

"We have made some ravioli, dim sums and currently we are making mini, mince pies," Rosalie replied as Saphira peered at the food. "Does that seem fine?"

"Yes, it is fine and it all smells divine," Saphira replied as she walked over to the potato basket to get several potatoes. "I will peel these and cut them into chips so they can be cooked. I am thinking of adding some herbs to it as that will add some nice flavour. You can never go wrong with chips."

Rosalie smiled as Saphira quickly got down to business. "Hopefully the guests will like the food."  
"If you're in doubt, I can taste test the food for you," Saphira offered.

Emmett chuckled softly. "I think that should be arranged. Esme will probably be here before the rest to help us so everything will be ready when the guests arrive."

"Hmm, have you got drinks ready at all?" Saphira asked as she glanced up at the vampires.

"No, we weren't sure if we should," Rosalie replied. "Should we have got drinks?"

"Don't worry, I will text Esme to get some soft drinks and juice on the way back," The girl replied as she picked up her phone to send the text. "It's a bit late to make some punch, but that will be enough."

Once Saphira had sent the text, Esme quickly replied to say she would do that. That was good and Saphira returned to peeling the potatoes and soon began cutting them into good slices for chips. She covered the slices in basil and dried tomato flakes before putting the chips into the grill to cook, along with the pies. They made several other types of finger food and Esme arrived with the soft drinks and juice as requested. Saphira ended up having to set up the drink area and that is when the rest of Cullens arrived with the rest of the graduates behind them. Luckily the food was ready and delicious as Saphira did indeed have a taste, with Bella's help of course.

Soon the music was playing, the teenagers were dancing, socializing and enjoying the food that was prepared. The food went very quickly and the vampires ended up having to make more to ensure the guests were well fed. But they were all having a good time and Saphira managed to convince Bella to dance several times, much to Alice's joy of course. After sometime, Bella and Saphira let the crowd enjoy their time as they both were a bit out of place. Bella wasn't comfortable with this many people and Saphira was older than the rest of the people here, so it was fine. But Jessica and Angela approached Bella when they spot her standing with Saphira with a drink in hand.

"How have you been hiding this whole time?" Angela asked Bella as she hugged her friend.

"I have a special skill of hiding in the shadows apparently," Bella joked, making Saphira almost spit out her drink after taking a mouthful of it.

Bella's friends also found that hilarious before they continued speaking. "What did you think of my speech?" Jessica asked. "Too easy-breezy? Too self-helpful? You hated it?"

"No, I think you pretty much nailed it," Bella responds.

"I think so too," Saphira said as she smiled at Jessica. "Sorry, I'm Saphira. I'm a friend of Bella's father, I was at the graduation ceremony."

"Ah, did you walk out at the end?" Jessica asked curiously.

Saphira winced slightly, but simply smiled. "Uh, sorry about that. It was a little emotional since…my parents died before I graduated."

The girls seemed surprised and sympathetic at the same. "Oh, I'm sorry," Jessica said as she gave Saphira a brief hug. "Well, I can't blame you than. No one here will be angry with you."

When the song suddenly changed, Angela recognized it and wanted Jessica to go dance with her. "I love this song! Let's go!" She drags her friend back to the dance floor, leaving Saphira and Bella alone.

But they weren't alone too long as three young men walked in, they were very tan and extremely muscular. Saphira couldn't help but eye them off, Bella seemed to know them and walk over to them. Saphira followed out of curiosity.

"What are you doing here?" Bella asked softly, surprising Saphira.

"You invited me remember," The young man responds.

"Was my right hook to subtle for you?" She asked in annoyance. "That was me uninviting you."

"Look, Bella I'm sorry," He said slowly. "About, you know, the kiss and your hand. I'd blame it on the inner animal thing, but it really was just me, being an ass. I'm really sorry."

Saphira had to know what that was about. "I'm sorry, what?" She said as she glanced at Bella. "Did I miss something?"

"Yeah, she broke her hand punching me in the face," The young man replied. "I'm Jacob by the way, I don't believe I've seen you before."

The young woman simply chuckled softly before shaking Jacob's hand, finding it surprisingly warm and remembered they were wolves. "Nice to meet you, I'm Saphira. I've heard a lot about you, but Bella failed to mention how hot you boys are."

The three boys chuckle before Jacob grabbed something from his pocket. "I brought you something Bella," Jacob said, raising a bracelet with a wood carved wolf pendent. "A graduation present. I made it myself."

"Wow, you made this?" Bella asked in disbelief. "It's really pretty. Thanks."

"It is pretty," Saphira comments as she looked at the pendent. "A one of a kind, you're lucky to get that Bella."

The girl chuckled before glancing up as she noticed Alice walking down the stairs. Saphira noticed too and Alice appeared to be having a vision right now and that wasn't a good sign. Bella politely excused herself to go to Alice, as did Saphira.

"Alice, what did you see?" Bella asked the vampire.

Alice had a worried expression. "The decision's been made," She said softly.

"What's going on?" Jacob asked, who clearly seemed interested in what is happening.

"You're not going to Seattle," Bella said with realisation.

"No, they're coming here," Alice said, glancing at Saphira who appeared worried. "We need to talk somewhere private. I'll get Carlisle, you all should go into the empty room."

The girls nod, and Jacob seemed confused as to why Saphira knew about it.

As they walked to the room, Jacob gently nudged Saphira's elbow. "How are you involved with this?" He asked curiously.

"Oh…well, it's a long story Jacob," Saphira replied with a smile. "Wait until we get in the room and I will tell you. But I think we should wait until Alice tells us what is happening."

"Alright, well, I just hope you're a friend and not a foe," The boy responds with a smile.

Saphira chuckled in response. She liked Jacob already, even if he is an enemy of vampires, she honestly would have no problem with being a friend to them. She did hope that the scent of the wolves wouldn't be a worry to the vampires. She suspects the Volturi weren't aware of their scent anyway. They entered the room and wait for Carlisle to enter with Edward and Jasper behind him.

"When will they be here?" Carlisle asked Alice as soon as he closed the door.

"They will be here in four days," Alice replied.

"This could turn into a blood bath," He said with worry as he leaned against a table.

"Who's behind it?" Edward asked Alice.

"Victoria," Saphira replied. "You already know it is her, Riley was already in my house."

"We still don't know for certain it's she orchestrating this," Carlisle said gently. "Riley may have said it, but it could also be a lie."  
"You doubt me?" Saphira said with a frown. "Demetri confirmed it."

"I still don't know how you got into this world of vampires," Jacob said softly as he listened.

"Oh, yeah, well Saphira didn't exactly get involved by choice like Bella," Carlisle said with a smile. "Just please, don't try to kill her or we'll be forced to defend her."

Jacob looked at Saphira with surprise. "Should I be concerned about you?"  
"Not really," Saphira replied as she looked at him. "Except…I found out I am a mate of three vampires in Italy. I happened to meet them, but I didn't realize we were bonded until I got back to Forks."

"Kind of like imprinting?" Jacob said with a curious frown. Saphira nods. "I'm…sorry for you than. But why would you need the Cullens to protect you?"

"Because Jacob, she is the mate of our…leaders we acknowledge as kinds," Carlisle explains. "The head of the Volturi. It's been about three thousand years waiting for their mate, and Saphira here is our queen."

The wolves look at her with sympathy rather than anger. "How can we be angry at you when you had no choice in who you would spend the rest of your life with?" One of the other wolves asked.

"Thanks, I know the Volturi wouldn't approve of your alliance," Saphira said with a smile. "But, I'm quite happy to turn a blind eye."

"Don't worry, Saphira won't turn us in," Edward said softly. "Unless Aro sifts through your mind, but I highly doubt he would. Especially since we know how much they care for you and your privacy."

"But back to the main concern, what were they doing?" Carlisle asked Alice.

"They were passing around Bella's scent," She replies. "It's her they're going after, and Saphira may certainly be right about Victoria being behind it all."

"Well, whatever the case, the army is coming and there aren't enough of us to protect the town," Jasper said softly.

"Hold up, what damn army?" Jacob asked bluntly.

"Newborns, our kind," Carlisle responds. "And with them after Bella, as far as we know, it will be an ugly fight and lives will probably be lost." He turns to Saphira. "I know you still have unfinished business here, but it would be wise if you have one of us take care of your house and belongings and leave for Italy before the army gets here."

Saphira frowned. "But, I…"

"There is no room for you to stall anymore Saphira, I know you feel you're not in danger, but Riley has already been to your house to kill you and you know the kings will protect you," Alice said as she walked over to Saphira. "You still have time to say good bye to your parents, but this is dangerous for you too."

Saphira knew they were right. The newborns might be here for Bella, but Riley or Victoria could let them fight while they go after her and she couldn't be here.

"We're in as well," Jacob declares suddenly, surprising Saphira and Bella.

"No, you'd get yourselves killed!" Bella retorts. "No way."

"I wasn't asking for permission," He responds.

"Having the wolves added will likely be a surprise to the newborns and give the Cullens a boost in numbers," Saphira said as she glanced at Saphira. "I know you're worried and don't want them to get killed Bella, but they're willing to help the Cullens to defend their territory."

"Thank you Saphira, I am sure Sam will come to an understanding," The wolf said with a smile. "I like you a whole lot more. It's a shame Bella can't go with you."  
"Caius would have the great pleasure of killing Bella if she did," Saphira said with a twinge of her lips as she wasn't sure to smile of not.

"And we'll all need to coordinate and get some training," Carlisle said softly. "Fighting newborns require knowledge that Jasper has. You're welcome to join us."

"All right, name the time and place," Jacob said confidently.

"Jacob, you don't know what you're getting into," Bella said with a worried expression.

"Bella, I don't think you can change his mind by the look of that expression," Saphira said with a smile. "Anyway, I think I should get home. Is it okay if one of you come with me? I saw Riley near the school today, he was watching me and it's left me a little shaken."

Carlisle was alarmed and nods. "Of course, I'll go with you," He said as he stood up. "And we will let the guard know of this, maybe they can stop the newborns before they get here."  
"I hope so, but they may just let them come and make me leave," Saphira said as she walked to the door. "But I will encourage them to do so. In the meantime, I have a suitcase to pack."

Carlisle smiled as he followed Saphira out the door to the car, leaving the others to talk more before Jacob and his friends leave to alert the rest. Saphira did hope that the Cullens and the wolves would come out unharmed as that would be a relief. But for now, her focus was to get home and tell the guard what is happening, without letting them on about the wolves' involvement.


	13. Chapter 13

Saphira sighed as she drove the car away from the Cullen house. She was worried about what is happening in Seattle and hoped that maybe the Volturi could deal with it before it gets too dangerous. Especially since she likes the Cullens as they have helped a lot these passed weeks, and will help have her house, car and other things sold. She really only had to say good bye to her parents, and she couldn't help but want to stall.

"Hopefully Jane and the rest of the guard might destroy the newborns before they get here," Carlisle said with a sigh. "But I think leaving in a couple days would be good. It will give sometime to get the jet ready to go too."

Saphira smiled as she listened to Carlisle. "Yes, I just worry that if I leave, you will be dead because of those vampires," She said slowly. "Especially since you've been a huge help."

"Thank you for you concern Saphira, but we will be fine," He said softly. "Newborns are not good at fighting like how Jasper has been trained so we will have a good chance with the wolves. You can always call us to see how things are."

"I probably will," Saphira said softly. "Do you think the kings won't like that I am checking on you?"

Carlisle thought for a moment before shrugging. "I cannot tell you how they would be, even after all the time I lived with them," He said softly. "Having a mate will likely change them."  
"They did warn me that they can be cruel though," She said as she glanced to the forest briefly as she turned the car onto the main road. "I doubt how they treat other vampires will change."

"Maybe not myself and my family since we are your friends, but I do agree with the fact they won't change how they treat humans and other vampires," Carlisle said with a nod. "I'm actually pleased they warned you about what they can be like. I'd say you could just run away, but the kings will be able to track you down. The bond can almost be like a string and they will follow it to find you. But I would definitely say not to do that, it will ruin your life and probably make the kings highly possessive and protective of you to the point where you don't make your own decisions."

Saphira wasn't expecting that. She never once considered running away, but now she knew what could happen if she fled rather than go back to Italy as it sounds rather frightening to have possessive vampires. She was glad the kings were being so gentle to her, she knew when she arrived there she will be treated as a queen, so she imagined if she did run away and was found, it wouldn't exactly be that way.

"I can honestly say…that was not what I was expecting to hear," Saphira said with a slight chuckle. "I'm glad that I didn't try to run. Or I'd end up being scared of them rather then loving them. Or end up with Stockholm syndrome."

The vampire laughed lightly at Saphira. "None of us would have told you that, except for the wolves perhaps. We'd rather you have a good life with the kings, regardless if you're immortal or not. Now that I've mentioned it, would you consider becoming a vampire?"

With a deep sigh, Saphira shrugged. "I do not know yet Carlisle," She said slowly. "I know Bella wants to be a vampire so she can be with Edward forever, but she's been with them and got to know him and your family. I…well, I haven't exactly gotten to know Aro, Caius and Marcus very well yet. I think I would wait until I know them enough before I even make a decision on being a vampire. But…being a newborn doesn't sound very good."

"Our first year isn't supposed to be pleasant," Carlisle explained. "Our own human blood lingers in our tissues during that time, and we are also stronger and less in control of our instincts. It takes quite sometime to be able to resist the urge to drink human blood. I am sure the kings will help you, they've had much longer to practice than I have."

Saphira did think becoming a vampire was frightening, but she figured if she waited sometime so she could be human a bit longer. She knew her mates would help her and they would likely be the ones to change her, but she knew the venom would be very unpleasant.

"In a way, you're ahead of them Carlisle since you're a doctor," Saphira said with a smile. "They might have years of practice, but you work in a place where blood is going to be almost everywhere, so you're ahead of them. But I won't say that to them, or they might get upset."

"Hmm, they might be surprised you'd think that and Aro might find out anyway," Carlisle said with a smile. "But thanks for the comment. It is true, it took many years of practice to be able to do what I can do today."

"What made you decide to be a doctor anyway?" Saphira asked curiously. "Was it because you wanted others to be able to have a good life?"

The vampire nods. "Yes, even though I am no longer alive essentially, I want to be able to see to it that others can have a life that I cannot," He said slowly, almost like he was sad about it. "I brings me happiness to see how I help others. Of course, I haven't been able to save everyone, but I still bring comfort to those who mourn."

"It's a shame the Volturi don't respect you for it, I think they will ever change their attitude towards humans even if am there," She said softly. "I do want to think that the kings could be as kind as you…but I guess that is just something I'll dream about."

"I wouldn't worry too much about that Saphira, the kings will be who they are until they are either killed or fade away," Carlisle said gently. "For now, let's just get you home and alert the guard of what is happening."

Saphira nods as she turned down her street in Forks. It was very pleasant talking to Carlisle, he was someone who was genuinely nice and even if she wasn't his mate, it made him attractive aside from his appearance. Of course, Saphira couldn't get close to him since he had Esme, but at least she could still admire him for who he is. Saphira turned the car into the driveway and was greeted with the sight of Jane at the bottom of the stairs. She seemed very concerned at the moment as Saphira stepped out of the car.

"Is everything alright?" Jane asked bluntly. "Carlisle, did you do something?"

"Don't assume the Cullens did anything to hurt me Jane," Saphira responds firmly, surprising Jane and Carlisle. "He merely kept me company on the way home. But we do have a situation."

"I apologize for being out of line," Jane said with a bow of her head.

Saphira smiled as the vampire walked back into the house with Saphira and Carlisle behind her. Saphira closed the door and took off her shoes.

"Carlisle, what a surprise," Demetri said as he stood at the end of the hall leaning on the wall. "I know you're not here for a nice visit."

"No, the situation in Seattle has changed," Carlisle said softly. "The newborns are coming here. Bella's scent has been passed around, but we do not know if Victoria has separate plans for Saphira. She has agreed to leave in a few days as the newborns will be here in four days."

The guard were alarmed by this. "Well…I am glad you are going to go home," Felix said with a smile.

"Yes, but is it possible for you to deal with the newborns?" Saphira asked them. "With your combined abilities, surely you can destroy them."

"It is true Saphira, however we need to go there ourselves to assess it further before taking action," Jane said gently.

"Please Jane, I saw Riley again today," Saphira said softly.

"What? When?" Demetri demands almost aggressively. "He's had the nerve to get near you again?!"

Saphira looked at Demetri with hands on her hips. "Please calm down, yes I saw him as I walked to my car at the school after the graduation ceremony," She said calmly. "I was on the phone with the kings, but Riley was gone when I blinked. I am worried that he might be told to do something to me while the newborns keep everyone distracted about Bella."

"I still do not know why Victoria would want you dead," Carlisle said softly before his tone changed to firm. "I know you should deal with the situation before it gets to the point of when they attack. I am sure you do not want to be under the wrath of the kings if they find out you left her unprotected and she dies."

Alec nods slowly. "Carlisle is right, but we should make the call to the kings as well," He said thoughtfully. "I know Saphira still has things to deal with here, but if all goes well, I know you and your family will take care of it when she goes. We can have the jet ready today Saphira."

"Saphira still has one personal thing to do left Alec," Jane said with a kind expression. "She has to let go, and even if she wants to wait a day or two before she goes to the cemetery, we will have the jet ready and waiting in Seattle no matter the time or day."

"I hope it goes well," Demetri said as he pulled out his phone. "Ah, it seems they are currently hunting so we should wait a little while before contacting the kings."

Carlisle nods. "I hope whatever happens will be good for all of us, I need to take my leave and ensure our party guests are still entertained," He said with a bow.

Saphira turned to him before he left. "Thank you for accompanying me Carlisle."

He smiled at her. "You're welcome Saphira, I hope to see you again sometime."

And then he was gone, leaving Saphira alone with the Volturi guard.

Saphira sighed and stretched before turning to go upstairs. "I'm going to take a shower; will you call out when you are able to call the kings?" Saphira asked, glancing at Demetri.

"Would you like to be involved with the conversation?" He asked curiously, before getting a slap on the face from Jane.

"Of course, she does idiot, she wouldn't be asking otherwise," She hissed before looking at Saphira. "I'll let you know Saphira, don't you worry."

Saphira smiled her thanks at Jane as she entered her bedroom. Once there, Saphira grabbed her pyjamas to go into the bathroom to freshen up. It had been a rather interesting day, quite the rollercoaster ride that was a little more than she could take. She stripped out of her clothes and made sure to untie and straighten her hair enough so it was easy to wash with shampoo. She turned on the shower and stepped in, the heat of the water seemed to melt away all of her worries and she felt much better ride now. Her mind wondered to Italy as she tried to imagine what the kings were doing right now. She knew they were hunting so she did try to imagine how they found the prey they wanted, stalked and attacked them. Although how she did imagine seemed a little bit silly as she doubts vampires stalked their prey like how lions did. Nonetheless, it was something to think about while she washed herself. She was brought out of her imagination when there was knock at the door.

"It's just me," Jane's voice called. "The kings want to talk, and we are waiting for you downstairs. Will you be needing any assistance while I am here?"

Saphira smiled. "Thanks Jane, I'm almost done here," She called back. "I just need to condition my hair and then I will be out of the shower."

"As you wish, the kings are happy to wait for you," Jane said softly before Saphira heard her soft footsteps move away from the door.

Saphira did hope the conversation with the kings will go well, and that the guard will be able to deal with the newborns. Even if Aro's decisions were being watched by Alice, Saphira could easily just reassure the Cullens that there was nothing to worry about as she would know what is going on. She did hope that the kings would respect her relationship with the Cullens and have the newborns destroyed, but she would find out soon. Once she rinsed the conditioner from her hair, Saphira turned off the water and stepped out to dry herself. She tried not to waste too much time as she put on her pink pyjamas that had dachshund pictures on the pants and the face of a dachshund on her shirt. As she opened the door to leave, she heard the sound of her window suddenly breaking which caused to scream in surprise and dash out the door briefly before stopping with her hands covering her face in shock. She breathed heavily as she wondered what that was as she peered in the bathroom.  
"My queen!" Alec's voice called. "Are you alright?!"

"What happened?" Demetri demands as he reached a trembling Saphira first.

"Saphira, mio dolce amore, are you okay?" Aro's concerned voice asked from the phone Demetri was holding.

Saphira swallowed as she saw a large rock sitting on the tile floor of her bathroom. "I…I am unharmed," Saphira replied in a shaky voice.

She felt Jane's arms around her to comfort her while Demetri walked over to the rock and picked it up.

"We heard the glass break too," Caius said. "Aro…it's getting way too dangerous."

"We told you she'll be going to Italy in another day or two," Jane said gently as she allowed Saphira to hug her as well.

"I know, and we are happy, but if she is going to get these kinds of attacks we cannot take much more risk," Caius replied. "Saphira…I know you want to say good bye to your parents, I know they would want to be safe. Please, the jet is waiting at Seattle."

"I need to say good bye," Saphira said hoarsely. "It's important to me…I'll regret it bitterly for the rest of my life if I do not."

"We should let her do it, I'd rather her be happy than bitter," Marcus said gently. "Maybe it would be best that she isn't in the conversation about the newborns right now. She is way too shaken at the moment."

"There's a note on this rock," Demetri said slowly as he looked at the paper.

"What does it say?" Aro asked firmly.

"It says 'Please leave Forks soon Saphira, Victoria wants me to kill you and I do not want to do that, leave before the newborns are brought to Forks', sounds like a warning," Demetri said, glancing up at Saphira who had calmed down. "Riley might have written this."

"I guess it's Victoria we should kill," Alec said with a snarl. He glanced at the bathroom. "We'll get that fixed for you Saphira, do you want to discuss about what we'll do with the newborns?"

Saphira looked at Alec, then at the phone. "I want them stopped before they get to Forks, the Cullens are my friends and I don't want them harmed," Saphira said gently.

"Amore, we will discuss with the guard about that if that is what you wish," Aro said gently. "For now, we want you to relax and not be worried."

Saphira lowered her head and glanced at the bathroom again. "I don't think I'll sleep well tonight."

"If you want us to call you directly later, we will," Aro suggests gently. "Maybe even use Skype."

Saphira perked up at the mention of Skype. "You have a computer with a webcam?" She asked in surprise as a smile grew on her face. "That would be awesome! I have Skype and it would be great to see your faces again, and this time I won't be trying to get away."

The kings were thrilled to hear Saphira's response. "Alright, we shall do that for you our amore," Marcus said sweetly. "Give us at least thirty minutes and we will let you know when we're ready with the Skype information."

"I look forward to it," Saphira said as she was released from her hug with Jane. "Just…make sure those newborns aren't a risk to the Cullens, I'd rather not see this lovely town desecrated."

"We'll ensure that," Caius said gently.

The vampires leave the room, and Saphira was somehow left with doubting their promise to kill the newborns. She hoped they would, but if she found out that isn't the case she will certainly be very upset. Right now, Saphira decided to clean up the glass in her bathroom to get rid of it and made her way to sit on her bed with her laptop on her lap and ready for her first Skype session with the kings. It might be one of the few times to see them before she flies to Italy. She did look forward to being near them physically, she did wonder how being intimate with them would go, but she would find out eventually.

Translations:

Mio dolce amore: My sweet love

Amore: Love


	14. Chapter 14

Saphira ended up listening to some music quietly as she waits for the Volturi to finish discussing what they will do with the newborn situation. Even though they want her safe, she did wonder if they would let the newborns do their job but she was not sure at this stage. Right now, see all three of her mates again was something worth waiting for. Saphira had Skype ready to go and would be able to find them very easily the minute they send her text. She made sure her microphone was working properly along with the webcam and it was all working great, now she just needed to wait. And luckily, she did not have to wait long. It wasn't even thirty minutes as they said so they must have come to agreement sooner than expected which was good. Saphira looked at her phone when it vibrated and saw their message with the name of their Skype account. She typed it in, found them and began connecting to them. It didn't take long and soon Saphira saw them, and she smiled brightly as she saw the three men sitting in front of the screen, all eager to see her and were smiling back at her. Aro sat in the middle with Caius at his left and Marcus to his right, which seemed to be the normal set up for them.

"Il amore," Aro said sweetly as he leaned forward in his chair. "It so good to see your beautiful face again after all these weeks. You've no idea what it feels like to be apart from you."

Saphira chuckled softly. "I can't believe you never said you had Skype before, we could have been talking like this often," She teased sweetly. "I had almost forgotten your faces until I learned about our bond."

The vampires chuckled gently. "Our apologies, bellisimo," Caius said in a very seductive tone. "We wouldn't want our bodies to distract you in this situation."

A bright blush appeared on her cheeks. "Caius, that's embarrassing!" She exclaimed while chuckling. "I wouldn't if you didn't mention it."

"Oh, I'm sorry," He teased. "It is so easy to mesmerize humans even if you are our mate."

Saphira sighed as she looked at the screen, glancing at Caius. "So, am I to imagine you're the naughty one out of the three of you?"

Marcus and Aro laughed at Caius who seemed surprised by the question, but was quick to join in the laughter. "Indeed, he is amore," Aro said, raising an eyebrow at Caius. "But most of the time it is just playful. You'll find that out when you get home."

"I am sure I will," She said softly. "What did you decide about the newborns?"

The kings seemed to hesitate with that answer which surprised Saphira. She would have thought because they wanted to protect her they would have the newborns destroyed.

"I wouldn't be concerned about it," Aro said reassuringly.

Saphira folds her arms. "I would rather you didn't lie to me Aro, will the guard destroy the newborns or not?" She demands calmly.

"At this time, no," He replied with a sigh. He glanced at the two men glaring at him. "Don't look at me, we can't lie to Saphira. She needs to know she can trust us." Aro looked back at the screen. "But the guard will ensure the newborns and Riley will not get near you."

Saphira was annoyed about it. "And you're willing to let them kill the Cullens," She retorted in an upset tone. "Aro, they've helped you and I get closer. They've helped you to understand a bit more about humans so you are prepared at Volterra. They most certainly deserve to live."

"Saphira, we are also concerned about Alice's interpretation of us making that kind of decision," Aro adds calmly.

"Oh for…come on Aro, I can easily just relay the information to Alice and she will understand the vision better," Saphira said with a sigh. "That is if she has one. You don't know what could happen by allowing the newborns here. It's a little…well, irresponsible in my eyes."

"I understand how you feel Saphira," Marcus said gently. "It wasn't an easy decision, and we are well aware that we might regret it later. Having the newborns move away from a large city like Seattle is a good move as we do not want them drawing so much attention. That is another reason why we are fine allowing the newborns get near Forks."

That made sense, Saphira never really considered the city and realized that having the newborns move away from the city would reduce the risk of being discovered and can deal with them easier. After thinking it over, she sighed and looked at her mates.

"Sorry…I guess I wasn't thinking about that," Saphira said bluntly.

"Don't apologize, you're not used to these kind of decisions and being human that is a natural response," Marcus reassured her quickly. "You will learn how to make them someday, but for now we will make those decisions. Even though you are the queen, you are considered a queen-in-training."

Saphira snickered at the last sentence. "At least I don't need to wear a crown."

"No, but you can if you want," Aro said with a slight nod. "We do have some tiaras you might like to wear at times."

"Wow, that is amazing actually," She said gently. "Tiaras hey? Hmm…never really pictured myself wearing one."

"I believe you'd look amazing with one on if we ever have a ball," Aro said sweetly. "They will match a number of dresses that have been made for you. Those pyjamas you're wearing a nice, but the night wear we have is much better."  
Saphira glanced down at her pyjamas, than back at Aro. "I assume it's some kind of lingerie, but I do like these pyjamas as they're soft and warm," She said softly.

"Not quite like lingerie, but that is available here too," He said with a chuckle. "You'll like what is here for you, I can promise you that."  
"I'm spoiled and I am not even there," Saphira chuckled softly. "I am looking forward to it."

"At least you don't seem you'd turn out to be…well, like some of the children of the modern time," Aro said softly.

"That is true, I definitely won't be like them and won't need to be compared to them," Saphira agreed with a smile. "But I am curious, am I able to get a hint at what kind of celebration you have for me?"

The three vampires grin at each other before Caius spoke. "I know it might be a bit of a shock, but it will be almost like a human wedding," He said softly, though the thought of a wedding surprised Saphira. "We happen to do the union a little bit differently than what humans do. Because of the bond, you genuinely won't have any desire for another being anyway Saphira and the celebration with be a symbol of our union."

"Wow…that is certainly a surprise and interesting, should I expect vows taken as well?" She asked with a dreamy smile as she tried to imagine what would happen.

"Vows have already been pledged the moment we met Saphira," Aro said gently. "Thou be forever, thou hearts be entwined, thou be forever protected. Those are the vows that come naturally for all of us. And if you do decide to be immortal, the third vow applies to you."

Saphira felt her heart flutter, it already felt they were married in a strange way and she looked forward to it. "Such beautiful vows…I hope I don't faint with such excitement."

"We promise to catch you if that happens," Caius promises. "And we won't let you go."

The four of them chuckle gently. Saphira glanced at the time and felt a yawn come on. "Oh…it's already that time," Saphira said through her yawn.

"Amore, do get some rest my bellisimo," Aro said gently, blowing a kiss towards the screen and made Saphira blush more. "You will need it for your journey home."

Home. That certainly felt a whole heap closer now that she only had a day or two before she could leave. She sighed and blew a kiss to her screen so she wouldn't allow them to go without one.

"I look forward to chatting with you tomorrow," Saphira said sweetly.

"Sweet dreams amore," Aro said before Saphira cut off the communication.

Saphira leaned back against her pillow and chuckled, the three vampires were so lovely towards her, their words really hit her heart and she was loving it. As much as she'd love a romantic dinner, she felt this to be a whole heap better.

But despite having a good conversation with the kings, Saphira did not have a good night sleep at all. She kept waking up from nightmares, thankfully never disturbing the guard, but sleep was just way too frightening at the moment and Aro ended up calling her in the early hours to comfort her, which was unexpected. It was just him on the phone and he sung a very sweet lullaby for her, his voice was certainly an angel to her. Hearing him made sleep a little easier, but she was still very tired the next morning. She didn't go down to break fast straight away as she grabbed out a suitcase to things in that she felt she would need. She knew she wouldn't need a lot of her clothing, but she put in her bras and underwear as she wasn't sure if she would have that waiting. Despite starting to pack, a picture frame of her parents sitting on top of her chest watched her and Saphira's eyes looked up at it. There, in the picture, a strong man with black hair and beard hugging a shorter woman with dark brown hair and green eyes smiling at the camera that took their photo. It was one of her favourite pictures and Saphira was determined to keep it. She picked up the photo and sighed deeply, feeling a wave of sadness wash over her.

"I wish you were here with me to encourage me to go," Saphira whispered sadly. "But I know in my heart you'd want me to go. I hope that…your resting place will not be desecrated when I leave." She sighed deeply, she left the picture on top of the chest for the moment and sat on her bed.

A gentle knock made Saphira look up to see Jane at her bedroom door. "May I come in?" She asked gently. Saphira nods and the vampire walked over to her to sit next to her. "I overheard that, I wish I could say I understand you're feeling, but I don't. However, I sympathize with you and agree your parents would want you safe."

Saphira smiled at Jane. "I guess you'd never lost someone you really loved and cared for, but I am not offended," She said softly as she wiped away tears from her cheeks. "I haven't really been honest with myself since discovering my bond, that I have three vampire mates and that I have to leave…the place where I've called home for a long time."

Jane frowned slightly. "What do you mean?"

"I'm scared Jane," Saphira said as she glanced down. "I know that might seem silly…"

"No, it doesn't," Jane interrupts, taking Saphira's right hand gently. "Saphira, you have the right to be afraid. Our world is…very different from the human world and even I understand you are afraid. You've always felt safe and secure here in Forks, and the thought of leaving it is understandably frightening. But you will have a lot of support so you won't have to feel afraid."

Saphira really appreciated Jane's words. For a vampire who was genuinely cold, uncaring and callous to other humans and vampires, she knew what to say and Saphira considered her as a sister to her. She did feel lucky to know the vampires at least.

"Thanks Jane, I needed that," Saphira said with a smile.

Jane nods. "You're welcome," She said softly. "But I came in with some bad news. The jet has run into some mechanical problem and is currently being looked into so you might be here slightly longer than what we want."

Saphira seemed surprised and then rolled her eyes. "Another inconvenience, hopefully I will be out of here before the newborns get here."

"We believe you will, but we can always get a hotel room for you if you would like to get away before the newborns arrive," Jane suggests softly. "There's a good one near the airport that you could stay at."

Saphira hummed softly. "I'll think on that one. It will give me the chance to go to the cemetery tomorrow," She said thoughtfully.

"You're not going today?"

"No, I am still a bit too shaken at the moment and all I want to do right now is nothing," Saphira said with a smirk. "I am just happy to watch some movies and eat junk food."

The vampire chuckled. "You humans and your strange ways."

"Hey, you were like that once," Saphira poked jokingly.

"Yes, but back in my day we didn't have all this technology and food that you have today," Jane teased back. "If that is what you want to do, that is fine. We were planning to go hunting, but Demetri wants to stay."

"Let him stay, I'd rather have one of you with me than none at all," Saphira said softly. "That way there won't be an unpleasant surprise…or I hope so."

Jane nods. "Felix and Alec will get a new glass to put in the bathroom window as well," She said as she glanced out the window. "It's actually nice to not hide away during the day with all this cloud and rain."

"I'm actually going to miss it," Saphira admits as she grabbed her brush to comb through her hair. "Clouds and rain are some of my favourite things."

"We do get that, just not often," Jane chuckled as she stood. "I'd better let the guard know what the plan is for today."

Saphira nods with a smile and Jane was gone. She felt better now, even though she was still sad about saying good bye to her parents. She knew tomorrow would be a whole heap worse and will be an emotional wreck. She wondered if the kings would be fine with just reassuring her over the phone when she does go. She figured to ask later, but for now, she planned on doing nothing and watching TV for most of the day. She knew a marathon of the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings extended edition movies were the right way to go. For the guard, they do end up watching the movies with her after they've hunted and got to know Saphira a bit more during the day.

Translations:

Il amore: Our love

Bellisimo: Beautiful

Amore: Love


	15. Chapter 15

The next morning Saphira woke up to the feeling of cooler air. She glanced to the window to see ice on the window and she guessed that snow had fallen overnight. It was to be expected of course as the day before had dropped in temperature even while she was watching The Lord of the Rings. And it did reflect a lot of how she was feeling. The weight of going to the cemetery was almost too much and she already had a lump in her throat knowing it was the day she had to let go and say good bye to her parents officially. She didn't want to get out of bed, stalling seemed to be the one thing she wanted to do. But that wouldn't last as Saphira stayed in her bed for a couple hours before she heard a knock at her door. She glanced up to see Jane enter with her arms folded.

"You don't plan on staying in bed all day?" She asked softly. "It is almost ten and the day is nearly half gone. I know it's cold, but you have something important to do today."

Saphira sighed deeply and sat up slightly against her pillows. "I'm aware Jane, I am fully aware," She said sadly. "Can you blame me for hesitating?"

"I suppose not, but that is why I am here to encourage you," Jane said gently with a smile. "I don't want you to let it get to you too much that you won't go. You'll feel a lot better afterwards, and I am sure the kings will be eager to comfort you with their words."

"Thanks Jane…will you come with me?" Saphira asked gently.

"Of course, I wouldn't want you alone in the cemetery anyway," The vampire replied. "Demetri and Alec wish to come too, and Felix will tag along even though he doesn't do so well with emotion."

"Felix can easily just patrol the forest and not pay attention so that will be something," Saphira said as she slowly got out of bed.

"He will do that definitely," Jane agreed as she walked over to Saphira's wardrobe to get out a jacket for her along with pants and skivvy. She placed the clothes on the end of the bed with Saphira giving her a surprised expression. "Don't look at me that way Saphira. I am like a big sister to you and making you get up quicker."

Saphira smiled and nods with a snicker. "That I can believe, you've been acting like a big sister since you got here," She said softly.

Jane chuckled softly. "And I am happy to have made you smile," She said softly. "Now don't dawdle, you can shower and come down for breakfast, or whatever you choose to do. We'll be waiting."

Saphira just rolled her eyes as Jane walked out of the room and left Saphira alone again. She glanced down at the floor with a deep sigh and stared at the carpet for a few minutes. She gets up to grab a bra and began to undress. She would have a shower, but she didn't feel like it. Sure, Felix and Demetri fixed the window yesterday after they got bored of watching The Lord of the Rings with Saphira, but Saphira felt like she needed to feel some of the cold to cope with what she had to do today. And despite feeling hungry, she also didn't feel she could have breakfast with the feeling her stomach twisting in tight knots. But she would at least have a piece of toast to ensure the vampires don't nag at her about not having anything to eat.

Once she was dressed, she braided her hair into a braid her mother used to do. It was a hairstyle that she avoided styling her hair with due to how much she missed her parents. It was a braid that was like a crown around her head, sure it was a common braid, but it had a lot of meaning for Saphira. Once it was done, Saphira put on some socks and her shoes before making her way downstairs. She was slow as she walked down the steps, but she managed to reach the bottom. She saw the vampires in the living room watching the news on the TV, but none seemed to comment about how she was acting. They all were aware and were being extra careful. Saphira made her way into the kitchen silently to have a plain piece of buttered toast. She was surprised to find two roses on the kitchen table, a red and blue rose with a letter underneath. She smiled slightly as Saphira guessed it was a gift from the kings, acknowledging that today was a painful day for her and saved her from heading to the florist to pick up two roses. She placed a slice of white bread into the toaster and pushed it down before walking over to the table and opened the letter.

 _Saphira, il nostro amore più caro, we know today is a hard day for you and we will be ready and waiting if you need to talk. We all wish we were there to give you a shoulder to cry on, but we are confident that the guard will ensure they will take our place so you are comforted. The roses we picked for you so you can lay them on the stones for your parents. La nostra dolce colomba, know that you will be protected while you say your good bye and we hope to hear from you soon._

 _Amore Aro, Caius, Marcus_

Saphira hugged the letter to her chest and mouthed a silent thank you, even if her heart felt even heavier than before. She almost couldn't eat the piece of toast once it was done and buttered. She knew it would seem silly, but once she had finished most of it, she threw whatever she didn't eat into the bin and took the two roses. Thankfully they were trimmed so she didn't have to worry about pricking her finger. As she walked into the living room, she was surprised when Felix held her jacket out to her.

"I see that you are ready, Alec and Demetri are out in the car waiting for us right now," He said calmly. "But if you don't want to hurry, we will wait all day if we have to. Even if the kings would rather you be home by tonight."

Saphira smiled as she took the jacket. "Thank you," She said in a very soft voice.

Felix nods before heading to the door to join the other two vampires. Jane was sitting on the couch, watching Saphira put the jacket on and breath deeply. Saphira's throat felt tight at the moment and she was trembling a little, and not just from the cold. She suddenly felt hands on her own, startling her slightly before looking up into Jane's red eyes.

"You can do this Saphira," She said gently. "And you can let it all out soon."

Saphira smiled briefly with a nod. Jane smiled at her and gently tucked her arm through Saphira's right arm before leading her to the front door. Saphira followed silently, biting her lip a little as the door is opened and she gasped when she felt the chill of the air from outside. Breathing out, she saw the vapor of her breath as she stepped outside and tried to find comfort from the cold air. Even though the only cold feeling she wanted right now was from her mates, and she could feel a sense of comfort coming from them right now. Once in the passenger seat of the car, Jane got in the back seat with Demetri and Felix as Alec had decided to drive. Saphira simply stared out the window as the vampire backed the car out of the driveway into the street to drive to the cemetery.

The drive to the cemetery felt far longer than it should do. Saphira would normally go herself on their birthdays and death anniversary, but it was never as hard as it was right now. Saying good bye…it's still something she feels she will regret. Even if she knew Volterra will be a good home, and the kings will do no harm to her, despite the realization of the potential dangers she may or may not find herself in. The snowflakes dancing outside made Saphira think back to when she and her parents used to build snowmen, snow ponies and had snowball fights. Christmas was her favourite time of the year as her mother would make delicious food and it was always wonderful. But ever since their death, Christmas was never the same and Saphira found herself detesting snow days even if it was out of her control. At least right now, Saphira was appreciating the weather right about now. And when the car came to a stop, she was slightly startled as she hadn't noticed the time going by.

"Do you need a minute?" Alec asked gently. "We will set up a perimeter while you do that."

Saphira looked at Alec and nods affirmatively with a deep sigh. The vampire smiled before stepping out of the car along with Felix and Demetri, while Jane remained in the car. She leaned forward, placing her hands on the back of the driver's seat. She could hear Saphira's heart racing at the moment and knew even if she tried, calming the girl down will take a lot of patience. She simply waited patiently until Saphira reached for the door and opened it slowly. Jane gets out to help Saphira to her feet.

"Alright, I will stick close to you until you reach your destination and then I shall give you some space," Jane said softly. "Did you want to ring Aro now by any chance? I am sure you would want to hear from them right now."

Saphira looked at Jane and glanced to the cemetery. "I think…I will be fine," Saphira whispered. "I'll call tonight."

Jane simply nods. "As you wish Saphira."

Saphira held the roses in her hands, staring at the cemetery, looking at the various gravestones before stepping forward. Her feet were dragging a little, and she could sense Jane's disapproval but said nothing of the matter. She entered through a gate and made her way down the rows slowly. Saphira had to keep watch or she would miss the right row and be embarrassed for not keeping an eye on what she is doing. After passing six rows, she made a right and stopped a little as she hesitated. But with a deep breath, she walked forward again and passed ten graves before stopping. She glanced back at Jane and the vampire knew to move away. Saphira breathed deeply, her head slowly turning towards the cross-stone heads with her parents' name on them. Stephan Dawn and Talitha Dawn. Saphira felt her legs give way and fell to her knees between to two graves, feeling tears fall from her eyes.

"Mum…dad…" She whispered in a trembling voice. "I know…I…I made a promise…that I would…never leave you." She sniffled softly looking at the roses in her hands. "But…something's changed. I know…dad, if you were here, you'd tell me…to go live my life. I had been…but…it's different now." Saphira breathed in and out deeply, wiping the tears from her cheeks as she didn't want them to freeze on her skin. "I…have met…someone…well, three men…vampires to be exact. I know…it would seem silly. But…despite being…so far away…this long-distance relationship…has never made me so happy. Aro, Caius and Marcus…they are…my mates…and I will move to Italy soon." She placed the blue rose on her father's grave and the red on her mother's grave. "I don't want to…but this is good bye. You…both would want me to be happy. Even if…it's with beings who can…snap me like a stick."

Saphira looked at the grave stones and reached out to brush away the snow covering them and stared at them silently. She hoped that she could come back sometime to visit her parents' graves, that way she could feel at ease and not be upset around the anniversary of their death. She could almost visualize her parents being shocked by her admission, but also that they were happy for her. Even if having three men as her soul mates wasn't on her list of desires, especially since polygamy was never an interest of hers. But she had no choice in her destiny and she felt her parents would understand.

"I know…despite moving away, I will have…adventures I may never had dreamed of," Saphira continued softly, wiping away tears threatening to freeze on her face. "Even if they can never go into the sun, I might get to see Italy fully. At least, I hope I'm allowed to." She paused briefly before continuing. "I know…you are not here…to give your blessing dad, but I know you would tell me to follow my heart. Even if…I am torn in two. I love you both…" She breathed deeply as she felt her throat tighten as she held back her tears. "I…I do not know if I will become a vampire…but, I will live a happy life. Just like the song…you used to sing to me from Charlotte's Web mum."

The 1973 cartoon of Charlotte's Web will always hold a special place in Saphira's heart. Even if she couldn't watch it without crying from the start, it was her mother who introduced her to the book and then the movie. But she never had the chance to see the live action movie of Charlotte's Web. Even though the song wasn't in the live action, Saphira wished her mother could have seen it with her. Saphira did feel compelled to sing the song right now, even if her voice was hoarse and small. She did have a good singing voice, but never pursued an interest in being an artist as it was never her interest. But her mates might be the only ones to thoroughly enjoy her voice whenever she sings.

"How very special are we, for just a moment to be part of life's eternal rhyme," Saphira began. Jane, who was standing off could hear her and listened to her singing. "How very special are we, to have on our family tree, Mother Earth and Father Time. He turns the seasons around, and so she changes her gown. But they always look in their prime. They go on dancing their dance, of everlasting romance, Mother Earth and Father Time. The summer larks return to sing, oh what a gift they give. Then autumn days grow short and cold, oh what a joy to live." Saphira breathed deeply as she almost stammered the last sentence, but she wanted to finish the song. "How very special are we for just a moment to be, part of life's eternal rhyme. How very special are we, to have on our family tree. Mother Earth and Father Time."

Saphira breathed deeply and buried her face into her hands, crying softly as she mourned her parents. She wished they were here, to give her a hug and tell her that everything will be okay, but she only had the echoes of their voices in her mind now.

"That was beautiful Saphira," Jane's voice startles her slightly. Saphira looked up to see Jane a few feet from her. "Your parents would be very proud of you. That song your mother sang to you, is the very reason why you should go."

Saphira listened to Jane and looked at the gravestones in front of her. Jane was right. Her mother had always said that the song itself had the meaning of why people shouldn't take life for granted as it was short. Vampires had their immortality, so they do not worry about it as much. She didn't even envy them, but the choice of becoming one will always be there. Saphira stared at the gravestones for a few more minutes before standing up on shaky legs. Jane moved closer to help support her.

"Goodbye…mum…dad," She said sadly. "I…I hope to come back someday."

Jane glanced at the gravestones than back at Saphira. "The kings will want you to be happy, and if you wish to return, they will let it happen," She said softly. "This is farewell, not goodbye."

Saphira looked at Jane with a sad smile and hugged her, surprising the vampire briefly before placing her arms around her. "Thank you," Saphira whispered.

"No problem Saphira, it's no problem at all," Jane said gently with a smile. "Let's get back home, I will make a nice hot cocoa for you."

Saphira simply smiled at the gesture. As she and Jane walked away, Saphira glanced back to her parents' graves and mouthed 'farewell' before looking ahead. She still felt she had a burden on her shoulders despite having made the effort to say goodbye, it will be like that for the rest of the day for her and she hoped that when she called the kings later, she will not be a sobbing wreck. But there was no promise of that not happening.

 **Translation:**

 _ **il nostro amore più caro: Our dearest love**_

 **La nostra dolce colomba: Our sweet dove**

 **Amore: Love**


	16. Chapter 16

The drive back to her house felt just as long as it did going to the cemetery. Alec joined Jane when they returned to the vehicle, while Demetri and Felix stayed in the forest to ensure they were not followed home. Especially while Saphira was in a vulnerable state at the moment. Saphira felt the need to just shut herself in her room and not come out for the rest of the day. It might seem strange to the vampires, but they knew humans were emotional creatures and needed space. Saphira was sure she could feel the kings trying to comfort her through their bond, but she could hardly notice it as well. When they pulled the car into the driveway, Alec looked to Saphira kindly.

"I'll go start the kettle," He said softly. "We know you'll want to be alone for a while."

Saphira looked at him with a smile. "Thank you."

"And I can run your bath," Jane added gently, leaning forward. "I think you could do with a little pampering. Plus, a tear stained face isn't very royal like."

Saphira nearly chuckled as she did plan on contacting the kings by Skype, but she knew she might not be able to stop crying either.

"That sounds wonderful Jane," Saphira said softly. "I hope you won't mind not being in my presence for some hours."

"Not at all, you need the time," Jane said as she got out of the car to open the front passenger door for Saphira. "If you feel better, let us know."

Saphira nods as she stepped out of the car and sighed deeply. She felt happy to be home, despite a shadow over her mind. Saphira walked quietly to the front door and was surprised when Alec opened it for her. She didn't mind the extra care from the vampires, she knew it was just because of her emotional state at the moment. She took off her jacket and shook off the snow before hanging it. She kicked off her boots and sighed again. She wiped away a couple tears from her cheeks and made her way upstairs. Jane had already gone up to run the bath for her which was nice. When she entered the bedroom, Saphira saw new pyjamas laid out on her bed. She was surprised, they were pink pyjamas with hearts on the pants and her shirt had Minnie Mouse curtseying on the front. How they figured out she liked Disney, she did not know. But she liked it was they felt very fluffy and warm.

"I hope you don't mind the choice of pyjamas," Jane said as she walked out of the bathroom. "I believe you like Disney, and the kings actually like Disney too, so they asked me to get these for you."

"I love them," Saphira said softly as she picked them up. "I will feel like I'm in a cocoon in these."

"That's good," The vampire said with a smile. "Your bath is ready now Saphira, I put in some strawberry, scented bubbles in to help you relax as well. And I can bring up your hot cocoa when it is ready."

"Thank you, Jane, you don't need to do all this…but I appreciate it," Saphira said as she briefly hugged Jane.

Jane smiled and walked to the door. "You need it Saphira," She said, glancing back at the girl. "And we all understand. I'll see you soon."

When Jane left, Saphira entered the bathroom. She looked at her tub, seeing that it was full and steamy with a large froth of bubbles. She breathed in the scent of strawberry and sighed deeply. She stripped out of her clothes and stepped into the bath. It was very warm, but comforting at the same time. She lowered herself slowly and relaxed her back against the tub. She just laid there, allowing her mind to relax and allow herself some more tears as she was still fairly emotional. Her mind wandered into the past, reliving times she had shared with her parents. Her memories of her parents will always remain the strongest memories for her, and yet she thought her trip to Italy wouldn't be as strong, but of course that is not the case. While her mind was reliving her past, she heard a knock at the bathroom door and she looked towards it.

"Come in," Saphira said, knowing it was Jane. And also, since the bubbles were covering her up anyway.

The vampire entered the bathroom with a smile. "You look like you could fall asleep in there," She teased, holding a mug of hot cocoa.

"That is most probably because I could," Saphira replied with a smile. "Thank you again for…being helpful."

"No problem," Jane said as she placed the mug next to the tub on a stood. "And remember, clean away them tears."

Saphira rolled her eyes. "They will just get replaced with fresh ones Jane, I will be emotional all day," She said softly.

"I know," Jane said gently. "And I bet the kings really feel the urge to be here by your side too, no doubt all your emotion is driving them insane."

Saphira sighed deeply. "I believe that."

Jane smiled and began walking to the bathroom door. "I hope you'll like the hot cocoa, Alec made it this time," She said softly.

Saphira just smiled slightly as the vampire left. She knew the vampires were always unsure when it comes to preparing food due to not being able to taste it themselves. But Saphira did reached for it and sipped some of it. It was very nice to her, and it made her relax a lot more. Saphira ended up spending a whole hour in the bath just reliving her childhood until the water started to get cold. Once she dried herself, she slipped into her pyjamas that again made her feel like she was in a cocoon. She picked up her empty mug and left the bathroom. She placed the mug on a table near the bedroom door and walked back to her bed.

She stayed under the covers for a few minutes before grabbing her laptop to get onto Skype. She didn't know if the kings were available, but she began to contact them. She waits patiently and soon there was a response. She smiled when she saw Aro on the screen, but Caius and Marcus were not with him.

"Amore, it is good to see you," Aro said gently. "I know today was hard for you…know that we are here for you il mio amore."

Saphira smiled and felt more tears falling from her eyes. She wiped them away and looked at the screen. "I wish you were here with me," Saphira said softly.

"So do we. Your deep sadness has been hard to ignore, Marcus and Caius have gone to hunt to release the energy of them wanting to just get on a jet and fly over to you." That didn't sound like a bad idea, but she did want to go to Seattle tomorrow to a hotel and wait for the plane to be fixed. "And it isn't your fault about our need to comfort you, we completely understand."

"Forgive me if I do feel like that your hunting is my fault," Saphira said softly.

Aro simply kept his gentle, understanding expression. "I don't blame you," He said. "You have nothing to fear, you can cry in our arms when you are home."

"Thank you," Saphira said, glancing away as she sniffled and tried not to burst into tears.

"Amore…I know it is painful, we love you and know that you can rely on us the comfort you," He cooed gently. "Do not feel embarrassed to cry."

Saphira really appreciated his gentle words. She just needed him with her. "Thanks for the jammies by the way," Saphira said with a smile. "I didn't know you liked Disney."

Aro laughed gently. "You are very welcome, we do not mind it," He said softly. "We have noticed how Disney brings happiness to people and we have picked that up too. And since we know you like Disney, we want to bring you happiness."

"That's the magic Disney brings really," Saphira said with a chuckle.

Aro hummed softly. "Well…I suppose I should show you something we have here," He said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"Oh, if it's a surprise I am sure I can wait," Saphira said quickly.

"I think you should see it now," Aro said softly, standing up and walking away.

Saphira wondered what exactly they had for her. She felt she had enough gifts at the moment, but it made her forget her sadness for the moment. He soon came back, and Saphira gasped at what she saw.

"I heard you liked the Beauty and the Beast, so we purchased this Swarovski, crystal, Disney figure," Aro said as he held it in front of the camera. "It will be here as something to also remember your parents by, and not just our love for you."

Saphira felt fresh tears in her eyes. The figure was a crystal, life sized, figure of the rose from Beauty and the Beast. It was beautiful, and she knew the camera was not doing it justice. But it was so beautiful.

Saphira breathed softly and sniffled. "Oh man, I wish I could jump through the computer and hug you right now," Saphira said as she wiped away the stream of tears on her cheeks.

"I can tell," Aro said with a chuckle. He placed the rose aside and looked at her. "And you will have plenty of time for that soon il mio amore."

She was always amazed at what the kings were willing to do to make her happy, and to by a figure of her beloved Disney story as a way of helping her remember her parents was just so sweet. She could not wait to hug them for it.

"Ti amo," Saphira said softly.

Saphira rose an eyebrow when she heard Caius and Marcus suddenly. "Hey, did Saphira call in while we were hunting?" Caius's voice asked, and then his loud gasp. "Of course, you had to show her that."

Aro chuckled softly. "She needed it."

Saphira smiled as Marcus and Caius sat either side of Aro, eager to speak to her. "We're sorry, amore, for not being here when you called," Marcus said with a gentle expression.

"You couldn't have known Marcus, it's not your fault," Saphira said softly.

"We are sorry too, for not being there for you at this difficult time for you," Caius adds gently. "Aro has been adamant we do not fly over to America to comfort you since you will be here soon."

"I bet it's been frustrating you Caius, I too wish you were here right now, but I feel like these pyjamas are like you hugging me," Saphira said softly.

"That's nice of you to say amore," Caius said with a smile.

"Do you like our gift, the one Aro just spoiled you with?" Marcus asked, giving Aro a teasing frown.

"Of course," Saphira said, wiping away some more tears. "Ah…I'm going to be crying all day and get a nice headache I think."

"I hope some are happy tears," Caius said gently.

"They're mixed happy and sad," Saphira said, breathing deeply to try and control her crying. "I might ask for another hot cocoa."

"Have whatever you want, il mio amore," Caius cooed gently. "Whatever makes you feel better."

Saphira heard a knock on her door and she looked up to see Jane opening it. "I heard you wanted another hot cocoa," She said with a smile, while Saphira nods. "I'll make one for you and we have a box of chocolates too if you want."

"Please," Saphira said with a smile.

The vampire chuckled and took away the empty cup. "Try not to have too much sugar," Marcus said softly.

"I can never have too much Marcus, considering I am sugar to you," Saphira said sweetly.

"True," Marcus chuckled. "We are just glad that you are starting to feel better."

Saphira nods and sighed deeply. "I plan on going to Seattle tomorrow," She said softly. "I'll pack tonight."

"Good, I believe the newborns will be on their way tomorrow to Forks so it will be good for you to go," Caius said with a smile. "We will set up an arrangement at a hotel for you amore, that way you will be comfortable until the jet is fixed."

"Thank you," Saphira said with a smile. "I may even go do some shopping while in Seattle, I haven't done that in a long time."

The kings chuckled at her. "You won't need any new clothes, amore, but we understand you need to do something to eat away the time," Aro said gently.

Saphira knew she had a whole wardrobe at Volterra, but she will want something from Seattle and there were many nice clothing stores in Seattle to visit.

"Well, if I do buy something, I am sure you will love to see me wearing it," Saphira said teasingly.

"No doubt about that," Caius said softly.

Aro suddenly glanced away with a frown, as did Caius. "Oh…sorry, amore, we have to go to throne room," He said gently, looking at Saphira. "We have been having more issues with vampires since the guard is in America and that some vampires have heard news about a queen. We have to go, but we will be able to talk later."

Saphira felt disappointed, she wanted to keep talking, but they had to keep up with their duties too. "Alright…I'll talk later," She said softly with a sniffle.

"Ti vogliamo bene," The kings said gently in unison before disconnecting their Skype.

Saphira sighed deeply as she stared at the laptop. She couldn't help but cry a little, she needed more of their time and she will wait until later to talk to them. Jane returned with the chocolate and hot cocoa, but left Saphira alone. Saphira ended up watching some movies on Netflix while she waited patiently for them to call back.

 **Translations:**

 **Amore: Love**

 **il mio amore: My love**

 **Ti amo: I love you**

 **Ti vogliamo bene: We love you**


	17. Chapter 17

The night passed without much of a hitch. As promised, the kings called back on Skype to continue talking with her and she ended up talking to them until midnight. The storm outside made her uneasy though, but at least she was warm inside. She felt a lot better, but she was still upset about leaving Forks and her parents behind. Nonetheless, she was also ready to leave. The next morning the snow had stopped and was sticking to everything today. She had a sense the battle between the Cullens and the newborns would happen, but she wasn't entirely sure. For the moment, she was packing her suitcases. The guard had already packed some of her belongings that she wanted to keep and the rest would remain to be sold. Saphira had thought about letting her friend, Avery, know what was happening. But he would likely blast her for even returning to Italy for the three men he called creepy. Even though he was her friend, he had his own life and she didn't want to concern him with hers at this stage. Saphira was gathering her toiletries together when Jane knocked on her bedroom door.

"Morning Jane," Saphira said softly as she began placing her toiletries in her carry on. "I am almost ready to go, probably another hour anyway."

"Than you aren't almost ready," Jane teased softly. "I came to tell you that Demetri has suggested we go hunting before assisting the Cullens with the newborns."

Saphira frowned and looked up. "I thought you weren't going to help."

"Well…the kings don't need to know that we're assisting," She said with a smile. "Now do they?"

"I suppose not, but what changed your mind?" Saphira asked curiously.

"You," Jane replied plainly, surprising Saphira. "They are part of your family just as we are part of it too. I do not know how long we will be though, so you'll have to go to Seattle alone."

Saphira was fine with that, she doubts anything would happen. But couldn't shake a bad feeling that had been eating at her since she woke up. She just thought it was jitters about going to Italy, and hoped it wasn't anything else.

"I am glad that I managed to change your mind, and I hope you go through with it," Saphira said softly.

"I promise that we will," Jane said with a smile. "Anyway, do you want me to help a little bit before I go, or do you have everything sorted?"

"I think I have it all sorted, but thanks for offering," Saphira said as she looked over her suitcases. "Most of my clothes aren't really suited for the weather in Italy, except for winter anyway."

"That is true," The vampire agreed with a smile. "I hear you might go shopping in Seattle."

"I plan to," Saphira said softly. "I have some dresses in mind that I want to try and find."

Jane chuckled softly. "You don't need to buy them, but I know you also want to look nice for the kings," She said softly.

"Any girl does really," Saphira said. "That's just how we are when we have found our soul mate."

The vampire nods in agreement. "Humans are strange…but vampires do the same I suppose," Jane said softly. "At least from what I've seen."

"You don't have a mate?" Saphira asked curiously.

"Not yet," She responded quickly. "I want to have one, but I am patient of course. I do not know when my mate will show up, it's a matter of time really."

Saphira wondered if the rest of the guard had mates or not, they didn't really mention it. Demetri seemed to suggest he hasn't got one, so she wasn't going to asked him about it.

"Does Felix and your brother have a mate?"

"No, not them either," Jane shook her head with a smile. She placed an arm around Saphira's shoulders and hugged her lightly. "I wouldn't worry about us Saphira, you just focus on getting packed and ready to go to Seattle. I heard the jet should be ready to go in about two days, so not long now and you will be in Italy."

"I can't help but be curious sometimes," Saphira said with a chuckle. "I won't hold you up any longer, go and hunt. And I will be calling Carlisle later to make sure you did help them against the newborns."

Jane simply smiled and left the room. Saphira did doubts the guard would help, but she can always get angry with them later. For now, she simply wanted to finish packing her suitcases. She still couldn't shake the bad feeling in her gut, and she knew that you should always trust it. She thought about staying home, but wasn't sure if that was a good idea. And she also wasn't sure if driving to Seattle right now was a good idea.

And when she took her suitcases out to her car, the feeling only got worse. Saphira was now hesitant on leaving and didn't know what to do. She wanted to ignore the feeling and leave, but she could not help but look around her surroundings as if something was going to happen. She swallowed and sighed deeply as she walked to her house to grab her purse and jacket. She would give her keys to one of the guard to take the car back to the house and give to the Cullens so they could sell the furniture and ornaments in the house, sell the car and house itself. Saphira opened the driver side door and sat inside, closing the door and glancing around. She began telling herself it was just the jitters, even if it might not be true. She felt her phone vibrate and she looked at it to see the kings were calling her. She wondered if they could sense it, or maybe just her nervousness. Nonetheless, she answered it.

"Il nostro amore, you seem nervous today," Aro's gentle voice purred through the phone. "Is everything okay?"

Saphira smiled slightly. "Well…I am nervous because…I have a bad feeling and I do not know why," Saphira said softly.

"Are you nervous about leaving Forks?" Caius's curious voice asked.

"Uh…no, it's not that," Saphira responded uncertainly as she glanced around again. "I would like to think it is jitters, but it's not that kind of gut feeling."

"That is concerning…although I am sure at the moment there might be multiple things that could happen," Marcus said thoughtfully. "If you stay home, something could happen. If you start driving to Seattle, something could happen. Are any of the guard with you?"

"Uh…no, they said they went hunting," Saphira said, now slightly nervous.

"Bad timing," Caius growled. "Well…I hope everything will be okay, amore. That last thing we need is for you to get hurt."

Saphira smiled at their concern, making her feel better. "I know Caius, I will be careful," She said reassuringly. "I should start making my way to Seattle. Or I will never get there."

"Drive safely dolce colomba," Aro said gently. "We'll talk again soon."

Saphira hangs up and breaths deeply. She felt better, but the bad feeling wasn't any better. She took a deep breath and started the car, if something is going to happen, she was not going to sit around and find out.

Saphira decided a coffee was needed so she stopped at the local café to get one. She noticed Bella's father was there having some breakfast there and decided to order her coffee first before saying hello to him. He noticed her first and smiled as she walked over.

"Hello Saphira, I guess you're about ready to head off to Italy correct?" He asked curiously.

"Yes, I am, just picking up some coffee to go," Saphira said with a smile. "I'm going to need it."

"Yes, a twenty-hour flight I believe," Charlie said as he cuts into some bacon. "I am surprised that you didn't stay over at the Cullens house too."

"Oh, I am not close to them like Bella is," Saphira chuckled softly. "I like them, but…my interest is elsewhere. Italy as a lot of fine men to meet."

"That is true," The man nods in agreement. "And then there is the food, hopefully you will find a celebrity chief."

Saphira laughed heartily at Charlie's comment, even though she knew she would probably love the food from a celebrity, Italian chief. "Well, it will certainly be possible since I won't be living too far from Rome," She said softly.

"Indeed," Charlie said with a sigh. "It's too bad Bella isn't following your footsteps. I know Edward is a nice guy, it's just…well, he walked out on Bella once and it pretty much broke her, and now he's back…it's a rollercoaster I will say that."

Saphira couldn't help but agree, but she couldn't say too much on it. "I guess those two are like magnets in a way," She said softly. "They both can't seem to live without each other."

"That much I have noticed," Charlie said with a slight roll of his eyes.

A waitress walks over with Saphira's coffee. "Here you go dear, have a safe trip to Italy," She said softly. "I know our coffee will never be as good as Italy's, but we do our best."

"Hey, I haven't complained now have I?" Saphira said teased back. The woman pats her shoulder and walked away to continue serving other people. She looked to Charlie and stood up. "I had better get going. I might be back in a couple years for a holiday, but we'll see what happens."

Charlie extends his hand to her and she takes it, shaking firmly. "Take care Saphira, I hope living in Italy will be everything you hope for," He said softly.

"Thank you," Saphira said as she picked up her coffee cup. "Be sure to keep the town safe sheriff."

Charlie chuckled and salutes her teasingly before she left the shop for her car.

Once she was back in the car, Saphira noticed her bad feeling again. Talking with Charlie seemed to have made her forget about it, and now it was back. She sighed softly and sipped her coffee before turning on the car to reverse and head onto the road. Saphira was still worried about what might happen, but she tried drowning out the feeling while listening to some music along with her coffee. It seemed to work for a short while. The highway between Forks and Seattle was generally quiet at this time of the morning so she didn't see much traffic on the road. About fifteen minutes onto the highway, Saphira had finished her coffee and was starting to relax more, deciding that her bad feeling was nothing more than just silliness now. She was singing along to Tale As Old As Time when she felt something hit the front, left side of the car hard. She screamed as the tires screeched and the car slammed into a tree. The glass of the front window had broken and the airbags had busted out from their home, everything was a blur at the moment. Saphira was in shock and her mind was screaming for Aro, Caius and Marcus at the moment. She tried to move and her right leg was stuck underneath the steering wheel and she could feel glass in the skin of her forehead.

"I am so sorry Saphira," A sad voice said. "You won't die, but I am sorry…"

It was Riley! She tried looking for him to curse him out, but he was gone. She breathed deeply as she tried to reach for her phone. She could smell oil leaking and she felt cold. When she tried reaching for her purse, she noticed it had gone through the windscreen, making her curse under her breath.

"Aro…Caius…" Saphira's voice croaked painfully as she tried keeping her eyes open. "Marcus…I need you…"

Her chest was tightening as she felt her breath shake, but she also could barely keep her eyes open. She tried to move again, but the sharp pain in her leg made her gasp for air. She knew she had to get out of the car, but she felt weak and out of breath. She didn't even know how long she had been there until she heard voices.

"Oh no! He's already hit her car!" A panicked voice exclaimed. "Carlisle, her leg! There's blood on her face."

"I know, Saphira are you still here?" A male voice asked with concern.

"I…Riley…he…" Saphira's attempt to speak was just a hoarse whisper.

"We know, Alice saw the vision," The man said softly. She felt her body being moved back. "Lift the steering wheel Jane, so we can get her legs out."

"I am so sorry, my queen," A female voice said sadly.

Saphira felt the weight on her thighs being lifted, making her whimper and shudder. "Hurts…"

"I know," The man said softly. Saphira knew their voices, but didn't register them properly. "She has a concussion too, I think. The kings are on their way Saphira, they will be here soon."

"And they are going to be furious," The female said worryingly.

"Take it one step at a time Jane," The man said as Saphira felt herself being lifted. "Her back doesn't appear broken, it's just her right leg that's a major worry. I don't think Riley wanted to kill her."

"Fuck Victoria!" A second male voice said angrily.

"Demetri, calm," The man said softly. "Let's get her to my house, I'll get her treated there. We don't need the hospital to know about this."

Saphira groaned as she felt herself being laid down. Her head was on a knee and she opened her eyes slightly. "It's okay Saphira," A second female said soothingly. "Your blood isn't making us crazy, and you'll be okay." Saphira simply smiled slightly before her eyes slumped and fell into a deep sleep.

 **Translation:**

 **Il nostro amore: Our love**

 **Amore: Love**

 **Dolce colomba: Sweet dove**


	18. Chapter 18

Saphira awoke from what felt like a month's worth of sleep. She opened her eyes slowly, at first unsure of what has happened or where she was right now as her mind was a blur for the moment. She found herself in a soft bed surrounded by a white quilt with gold patterns on it. She couldn't see the patterns on the quilt yet as she blinked a few times so her eyes could adjust to the light. The patterns on the quiet were heart patterns with V's in the middle. She thought it was pretty. Her eyes glanced up slightly and saw her right leg was in a cast. When she saw that, everything came flooding back and her mind snapped away. She glanced around and saw Carlisle standing by her bed, looking at her kindly.

"It's good to see you awake Saphira," He said kindly. "I am sure your mind has been thrown around quite a bit after what has happened. I am terribly sorry that it happened before you could reach Seattle."

Saphira smiled slightly at him. "It's not your fault Carlisle…Riley…he, apologized after…you know," She said softly in a dry voice. "I'm thirsty."

"I have water here," Carlisle said, picking up a cup with a straw. He gently brought the straw to her lips for her to drink. "I will say it wasn't as bad as we first thought. Your right leg is broken, but not terribly and you will likely be out of the cast at least by the end of the month or the middle of next month. Thankfully, it's not a terrible break."

Saphira listened as she sipped the water before stopping as she had enough and looked at him. "Was there any glass in my skin?"

"On your face, but that was easy to remove," The vampire explained as he began writing things down on a notepad. "You also had a concussion which is why you were asleep for a few days, the swelling is down so you will be okay."

"That is good," Saphira said with a smile. She glanced around, noting the room was empty with a few seats. She also noticed on a desk in front of her was the crystal ornament Aro had showed her. She widened her eyes at the sight of it. "Is…are they here?"

"Yes," Carlisle said with a smile. "The kings…have been so worried ever since arriving. They punished the guard severely when they arrived though, the guard knew they were careless to leave you defenceless and are sorry for it. They're alive, but you won't see them for a little while until they recover."

Saphira wasn't entirely surprised the kings punished the guard. They did say they were hunting, she actually doubted they had helped the Cullens with the newborns. She also didn't want to know how they were punished.

"How long was I in the car?" Saphira asked curiously.

"Um…probably thirty minutes because Riley had left you to rejoin Victoria," Carlisle said thoughtfully. "Alice got the vision midbattle, but we couldn't leave sadly. Seth killed Riley, the kings feel that is a suitable death by wolf even if they would have had the pleasure of doing it themselves."  
"And you weren't punished?"

The vampire shook his head. "No, the kings knew we were battling the newborns," He said gently. "And we were the only ones to handle your blood better than the guard. They had to leave the crash scene to hunt right after, even if your blood wasn't driving them insane as most human blood does."

"I guess being the queen somehow makes me an exception," She mumbled softly.

Carlisle chuckled at her comment. "Would you like me to get you something to eat?"

Saphira looked at him with a smile at the thought of food. "Please, I am sure you can hear my stomach grumbling."

The blonde vampire nods and placed his notepad down. "Just part of our good hearing," He said jokingly.

Saphira chuckled softly as Carlisle left the room. When alone, she sighed softly and her eyes drifted back to the Beauty and the Beast Swarovski crystal rose ornament. It was more beautiful now it was there. The rose was encased in the same lid from the movie which was also made from crystal. She knew they left it there so she knew they were there for here. She wanted to see them, and she hoped they were able to grace her with their presence. She hoped she could go to Italy even with her leg being broken, but she would have to wait to hear what Carlisle has to say as they can only follow a doctor's orders for the time being. Even if Italy had very good doctors. She also hoped that the kings were not angry that Bella wasn't a vampire yet because she didn't want them getting into trouble. She looked at the quilt and rubbed her hands over it, she had a feeling the kings brought it with them. It was too big for the single bed, and it was so soft, silky and warm, and the V's gave it away too. She soon here's a knock at the door and Saphira looked up to see it open. Her eyes widen and a smile grows on her face as she sees Aro walking in carrying a tray of food with Caius and Marcus behind.

"Il nostro amore," Aro said softly. "Il nostro dolce, dolce amore." He placed the tray down on the bedside table and looked her with eyes filled with both love and worry. "You have no idea how much you scared us."

Saphira smiled at him. "I'm sorry, it was never my intention," She replied sweetly.

The vampire pulled a chair forward to sit down. "I know," Aro said gently as the other kings brought seats closer as well. "We are just glad you are well. And that the damage to your leg isn't great." He gently grabbed her hand and held it up gently to kiss the back of her hand.

Saphira's smile didn't fade as she looked at him. She looked to her left to Caius and Marcus. "I have no doubt…feeling my pain and panic scared you," She said softly.

"Not just that, we felt you call for us," Caius said gently. "You may not have noticed, but when you are in severe danger, you instinctively call for us through the bond. A call we just cannot ignore."

"I'm glad you are here, il mio amore," Saphira said softly, glancing back at Aro. "And thank you for bringing that rose."

Aro glanced to the rose with a smile, then back at her. "I figured upon seeing it when waking, you would have comfort knowing we were here for you," He said sweetly.

"And it did," Saphira said sweetly. "Thank you."

"You are most welcome, il mio amore," Marcus said with a smile. "Now, I think we shouldn't keep our love from her food Aro. Her stomach is making a lot of noises."

"Yes," Aro chuckled as he lets go of Saphira's hand to grab the tray.

Saphira began trying to sit up before feeling Caius gently lean her up and place pillows behind her so she was comfortable. She looked at him with a smile. "Thank you," She said sweetly.

The blonde vampire leaned down to kiss her forehead. "Anything for you," He said in a quiet, loving voice.

Pampered, that is what she felt at this moment, and Saphira was not complaining at all. Aro placed the tray over her knees and Saphira saw she had a waffle, eggs, buttered toast and sausages in front of her. There was also an apple and a cup of juice.

"Looks good," Saphira said as she moved to pick up the knife and fork to start eating. She glanced at Aro. "Just…tell me you're not going to kill Bella."

The vampire frowned slightly in surprise. "Why would I worry about her when you're injured Saphira?" He asked softly.

"I think her mind has a million questions right now," Marcus said softly. "And no Saphira, they told us they plan on waiting until she graduates and they get married before changing her. But Aro is right, we do not care what they do for the time being while we wait for you to heal."

"Well, Marcus was right Aro, I guess I was just…well, they told me too and I thought it's the right thing and I hadn't told you," Saphira said in a matter-of-fact tone.

Aro simply chuckled at her gently. "It is your decision as well Saphira, after all, you seem to have taken up some responsibility as queen already which is good," He said gently. "And you will next be wondering about the guard."

"Uh, actually Carlisle already told me, I just don't want to know the details of the punishment," Saphira said quickly as she put a piece of waffle in her mouth.

"Good, I don't think you'd want to know," Caius said with a sigh. "You will see them again though. That I can certainly promise you, but next time it won't be as merciful."

"I hope there won't be a next time," Aro said as he watched Saphira eat.

Everything she was doing seemed to fascinate the kings, or maybe help them feel relief that she was eating. Saphira would normally feel awkward about someone staring at her while she was eating, but she was perfectly okay with the kings doing it.

"It's a shame you won't be able to sell the car now," Caius said softly.

"I bet it was completely totalled, considering I only remember some of it," Saphira said, waving her fork a little before sticking it one of the eggs.

"Yes," Aro nods. "We saw it. And…only angered us a lot more."

Saphira could easily picture that, but she knew better than to ask for details. As much as she loved her mates, she didn't like the side of them that made them the kings they are now. She knew she will learn to accept it, she had no choice, and the kings also seem interested in sheltering her from that as well. But as the queen of the vampires, the cold side of things has to be accepted at some point.

"Carlisle has told us you can come home to Italy in a few days," Caius said, bringing Saphira out of her thoughts. She was surprised by it. "We are very happy for that to happen. We will wait until you are healed before having the ceremony as well."

Saphira was very stunned and happy at the same time. "That is good news," She said with a small giggle. "It feels like getting to Italy has been a pain in the butt."

"I can't exactly disagree with that," Aro said, brushing back strands of his black hair. Oh, how much Saphira wanted to run her fingers through his hair, but she knew she had to be patient. "We hope that by being with us, it will go smoothly. And the jet we arrived in is in better shape than the one that was just fixed. We will leave that here for a complete mechanical fix."

"At least I won't have to worry about falling from the sky," Saphira said softly. "Otherwise a cruise would have been the next choice."

"Mmm, and we would have glad paid for it even if it would have taken a few extra weeks for you to arrive," Marcus said gently. "Considering we won't ever be able to share that with you, considering our diet."

"Yeah," Saphira agreed.

She knew there were things she wouldn't be able to do with the kings, going on cruises with her soul mate was a dream of hers. But that is all that will be, a dream. They could never share a meal together, unless she became a vampire. But, Saphira knew that the kings were likely to create very good experiences with her even if they couldn't share those things with here. Being here with her right now, watching her eat her breakfast was likely something to happen often in Volterra, and this to her is still sharing a moment. And it was lovely to her.

"Is the food up to standard?" Marcus asked curiously.

Saphira looked at him in surprise. "Of course it is, the Cullens have had good practice and turn out to be good chiefs," She said softly.

"Good, I know it might seem funny to you," Caius began, but Saphira's smile widened and he rolled his eyes. "Okay, very funny to you, but we want you to have the best. Nothing else to it really. You'll find that a lot in Italy."

"I already guessed that after informing me of your plan to hire a chief," Saphira said after swallowing a piece of sausage in her mouth.

"We haven't found any we liked yet, most are uncomfortable in Volterra," Marcus said with a sigh.

"Why not just have one of your vampires in Volterra just learn how to cook?" Saphira asked softly. "If the Cullens can do it, and do it well, surely you can too. You can always put on private events for humans to see if they like it. And then you will know I will like it."  
"We have thought of that, but not until later," Aro said gently. "At this point it is a little late. However, we have met a local chief who is willing to cook at Volterra at least for lunch. But we will work on breakfast and dinner for you."

"Hey, if I have to go out to get it and bring it back for a while, I won't be complaining," Saphira said with a shrug.

"I don't doubt it," Aro smiled.

At least Saphira knew their concern for her was endless. She did notice how much more emotion she could feel from the kings now that they were here. And she could only feel their love for her at the moment. It was no wonder she was on cloud nine right now. She had finished her hot food now and began munching on the apple.

"Has Carlisle said whether or not I could try to stand and walk yet?" Saphira asked softly.

"Uh, no he hasn't," Marcus said thoughtfully and stood up. "I'll go ask him. As long as your leg isn't in any pain."

"Not that I can feel yet, I will know when I go to move it," She said, glancing at her leg. She hoped she wouldn't feel any pain, but if she did, she knew the kings would be immediately concerned.

"Hopefully that isn't the case, but if you can go to Italy in a few days than surely you can walk," Caius said, rubbing his chin slowly. "If you can't, we may put off the flight until you feel no pain."

"Well…that seems a little silly," Saphira said with a slight frown, surprising Caius. "I mean, it's just pain. If I walk and damage my leg, that might be different. But if it is just pain that can be managed, I can go."

Aro smiled, looking at Caius who wasn't too keen on letting her go on a plane in pain. "Don't you get it Caius? She wants to come home," He said gently.

Caius smiled slightly. "I know…I can't help but care for her," He said, looking at Saphira lovingly. "I don't want you to think I'm a mother hen."

Saphira swallowed the apple piece she had been chewing in her mouth and gave him a teasing look. "Maybe…I should."

The vampire snickered and shook his head. "I don't think I am going to get over your sarcasm Saphira," Caius said softly. "But you also know I am serious."

"I'm aware, but too serious is too boring," Saphira said sarcastically.

"He is boring Saphira," Aro said, joining in with her teasing. "Caius is the most serious out of the three of us, you just might spend more time with me."

"Oh, very funny Aro," Caius said with a roll of his eyes. "Non agire immaturo."

"I can still understand you," Saphira teased softly, making Caius look at her. "If you spoke in French, I wouldn't have known at all."

"I wasn't trying to hide it from you Saphira, just trying to keep my brother in line," The blonde vampire said, trying to defend himself.

Saphira chuckled as she placed the apple core on her plate and picked up the cup. "Is that not my job?"

Caius sighed with defeat. "You win," He said, leaning back and relaxing his arms on the chair. "Immortal or not, I am never going to win again my mate."

"No, none of us will," Aro chuckled softly. He looked at Saphira who sipped her juice. "Are you satisfied now?"

"Mmm hmm," Saphira responds with a nod.

"Good, though I doubt the Cullens would mind cooking something else," The vampire said with a shrug.

Saphira placed her empty cup down and Aro moved the tray away. She reached over for the water cup and Caius gave it to her. She felt like the luckiest girl in the world at the moment. She felt Aro's hand on hers and she figured he was reading her mind. She didn't mind, she gave him a teasing look knowing he just wanted to get to know her more. And maybe also to know what had happened when Riley hit her car. Nonetheless, the kings were with her now and she felt at home. She didn't need to be in Italy to be home with them, anywhere would be okay with her.

 **Translation:**

 **Il nostro amore: Our love**

 **Il nostro dolce, dolce amore: Our sweet, sweet love**

 **Il mio amore: My love**

 **Non agire immaturo: Don't act immature**


	19. Chapter 19

Carlisle walked into the room followed by Marcus. He smiled at the vampires and Saphira kindly as he walked over to take the tray away from the room.

"I hear you would like to try and walk," Carlisle said softly. "I will be back in a moment to check your leg first, and then we certainly can try."

"Sounds fine with me," Saphira said with a sigh. "Or I'll make sure everyone knows I'm bored."

"Not as much as you will be to us," Aro said softly, gently rubbing his thumb on her hand. "We would be very compelled to try and keep you entertained."

Saphira looked at Aro curiously, now interested in knowing what a vampire would do to keep his mate from being bored. Seeing her thoughts, Aro looked at her in surprise and rolled his eyes with a chuckle.

"Let me guess, she is now curious about how we'd keep her entertained," Marcus said with a smile.

Carlisle chuckled as he walked out of the room, leaving them to talk to each other. "Yes," Aro said plainly. "I hope you are…oh, never mind, she does want a demonstration."

"Great…I didn't bring my violin," Caius said softly, rubbing his forehead.

"I didn't know you would be interested in playing an instrument," Saphira looked at him curiously.

"I used to be a violinist before I was a vampire, and I have no lost that passion," The vampire said with a smile. "I have written some very romantic songs I would love to play for you amore."

The idea of being played a song to by someone who loves her made her feel very flattered, and that made Caius feel more guilty for leaving the instrument behind.

"Mi piacerebbe molto sentirti suonare il violino," Saphira said in a sweet voice, making Caius smile. She looked at Aro and Marcus. "And I won't forget you have talents too."  
"I am a good dancer, we all are, but I'll be the first to dance with at the ceremony," Aro said softly.

"Well…maybe it's a good thing it's been put off," Saphira said, surprising the vampires. "I…can't dance."

The dark, long haired vampire laughed heartily. "And that is one way to ask for lessons," Aro said in amusement. "But of course, il mio amore, anything for you. I wouldn't want you to be embarrassed at the dance. But I am also an artist of the harp and singing, as you already heard my voice."

Saphira smiled at them. They were so nice, and she did feel she didn't deserve all of it, but she was not complaining. Her eyes trailed to Marcus who seemed a little embarrassed and upset.

"What is it Marcus? I am not upset if you don't have a musical talent," Saphira said lovingly.

"I know, il mio amore, I can't help but feel I would disappoint you," Marcus said sadly, lowering his eyes.

Saphira wished she could get up from the bed and hug him tightly. "What is your talent? Are you…good at drawing? Painting? Writing perhaps?" She asked curiously, making Marcus look up at her. "Ah hah! I am on the right path."

"Yes, yes you are," Marcus said with a small nod. "I like to draw, paint and make jewellery. A lot of your jewellery at home is made by me, not purchased from large companies. I only purchased the gemstones."

Saphira beamed at the idea of a man making her a gift. She saw everything the kings would want to do for her as a gift, be it singing, playing an instrument or making a gift. She knew the rose at the end of the bed wasn't homemade, but it was purchased with a reason in their minds and it was all so good for her.

"Marcus, not one talent you all have is better than the other," Saphira said sweetly. "Do not be disappointed. I think it's good you all have a different talent you want to share, and I want to be involved with it too. So please, don't think that I am disappointed. I'm only elevated if I am honest."

Aro looked at Marcus kindly. "You know she's honest, I can feel it," He said with a smile. "And she's right. It's good she appreciates each of us individually."

The vampire grasped his hands together thoughtfully and sighed deeply before smiling. He walked over to the bed and kneeled by it. "Thank you, la mia dolce colomba," He said in a purring voice, leaning over to kiss her cheek.

Saphira wondered why that hadn't kissed her on the lips yet. Maybe they were waiting for her to be out of the bed. She wanted them to kiss her lips, even if it was still very endearing to her to being kissed on the hand, cheek or forehead. She figured they would surprise her. Aro was listening to her thoughts and simply smiled silently, he knew her desire at the moment but was not yet going to satisfy it. Carlisle walked back into the room, he had brought a few things with him that Saphira couldn't see. He walked over to Saphira's bed and Aro moved aside, but doesn't take his hand from hers.

"I'm just going to check your leg first, I know it is broken but there was a deep wound from the steering wheel," Carlisle said, making the kings glance at him in surprise as he had not told them. Carlisle noticed and smiled. "It's not a big concern my kings, I had to stitch it and has been healing well."

That would explain why Carlisle is a little hesitant in letting her up. She frowned slightly, wondering if it would be safe to get on a plane at the moment. Seeing her wound heal enough so the stitches won't come out would be a good idea. Aro didn't need to read her face to know what she was thinking.

"Will it be safe for her to get on a plane to Italy then?" Aro asked Carlisle firmly. "You said she could, but if the stitches come out from her just trying to stand today it would be better for her to stay right?"

Carlisle sighed deeply as he put on some gloves. "She can, but she might have to be in a bed to Italy," He said gently. Saphira's frown deepened as she knew that wasn't always the case. "I know we can modify the jet to transport her."

"Carlisle, you would never suggest that to any other patient with this kind of injury," Saphira said bluntly. "If the stitches come out, I'm here for another week or two, I am not stupid. I worked in that hospital too."

Caius eyed Carlisle with a slightly dangerous look. "If that is the case Carlisle, we'd rather not be lied to."

"I wasn't, I was giving the best time when she could leave," Carlisle said, slightly annoyed Saphira pointed out something he has done before. He sighed deeply. "Would you like to leave so I can check her leg?"

"Why?" Marcus asked bluntly. "Her blood? Uh, uh we are fine."

"If you are sure," Carlisle said as he lifts Saphira's leg gently to start taking off the cast.

The movement made Saphira gasp and wince in surprise from a shot of pain from her leg, causing her to grip Aro's hand suddenly. She didn't really think she would feel the pain, but she had not tried moving her leg yet either.

"I guess…I'll need some painkiller after this," Saphira said as she caught her breath.

"If it's very painful after, then I will get you some," Carlisle said softly as he unwrapped the cast.

Saphira frowned as she felt the cast being removed. Since casts were designed to keep you from moving your leg, it help create resistance to the pain. Now that it was being removed, Saphira could feel it now. She was feeling a little hesitant about trying to stand.

"You will be okay Saphira," Aro said sweetly, moving closer to place his other hand on her arm. "I know it's painful, we feel it too, but I am sure you'll be fine."

"I'm starting to wonder about walking at the moment," Saphira admits.

"I know," The vampire smiled. "But we will help you."

She certainly didn't doubt that. She tensed slightly when the cast was off. He unwrapped the bandage around her would and Carlisle frowned as he placed a pillow under her leg after putting the dirty bandage aside and gently inspects the damaged area. The kings were able to see the wound was on her right thigh, just a few inches below the bikini line.

"Ah…I wouldn't try to walk today," Carlisle said softly. "Some of the stitches came undone."

Caius clenched his hands as Saphira winced, knowing she had to feel Carlisle stitch her wound again. Saphira didn't even have to look to know that it was bleeding, she could feel the warm streaks on her skin.

"I'm sorry I don't have an anaesthetic, I will make sure to give you something right after though," Carlisle said softly with a sigh.

Saphira looked at Aro who was watching with a frown. "Is my blood bothering you?" She asked him softly.

He looked down and shook his head. "No, it's a little different for us," He said softly. "You see, when we bond with a mate, their scent and blood no long appeals to us like other humans do. We can smell your blood of course, but we would never want to hurt you."

"Good," Saphira said, flinching slightly as she felt Carlisle starting the stitching process, causing a few tears in her eyes. "Uh…at least you're here."

"Of course," Aro said softly, brushing strands of her hair back behind her ears.

Marcus held Saphira's other hand, rubbing it gently while the vampires wait for Carlisle to be finished. Saphira was wishing she was asleep at the moment, but she knew she could endure the pain as it wouldn't last. Most of it was coming from her broken leg anyway. She couldn't help but also feel a little nauseous. Caius himself was very worried, he was tempted to try and help Carlisle, but he knew he would cause more damage and Carlisle was moving as quickly as he could anyway. When Carlisle was done, he began to clean her skin and applied an ointment, causing the wound to sting slightly.

"Mmm…I hate ointments that sting," Saphira muttered, clenching her toes a little trying to ignore the pain.

"I know," Carlisle said gently. "It will help to heal though." He wrapped a fresh bandage around her wound, making sure it was secure before putting on the new cast. "Sorry Saphira."

"I know, I know," Saphira said quickly. She sighed and looked to the ceiling. "If it were only possible to bring Riley back and kill him again…"

The kings chuckled a little while Carlisle glanced at her with a look of disapproval. "We are feeling the same way," Caius said softly.

"That I can certainly feel," Saphira glanced over to him. "It's a lot easier to feel your emotions now you're here. Anyway, you should get another violin now that I will be stuck in bed for a little longer." She looked at Carlisle. "Couldn't I at least get in a wheelchair?"  
"Mmm…leave it for today, and if good tomorrow than we can move onto the wheelchair," The vampire replied thoughtfully while he continued his work. Once the cast was on, he moved to take out the tools he had to use so the kings weren't bothered by the blood. "I'll be back with the painkiller."

"And a TV," Saphira adds with a smile.

"You won't need it," Aro said with a smirk. "But I understand your need for one." He kissed her cheek gently. He wiped away any leftover tears that had fallen from her eyes due to the pain.

"Thank you," She said softly.

"I best go look for a good violin…as much as it pains me to go," Caius said as he stood up.

"Hey, I am not going anywhere," Saphira teased.

"Back to the amusement, are we? That's good, il mio amore, I'd rather you keep that up than focus on the pain," He said happily as he made his way to the door. "I will be back as soon as possible."

With Caius gone, Saphira was left with Aro and Marcus which she was happy with. When Carlisle came back, she wasn't surprised to see the tablets and wasn't entirely pleased, but she would take them. But made them get a large glass of water before taking the tablets to ease the pain. But she knew she would not be bored. She just hoped that her stitches would stay long enough for her wound to heal so she could go to Italy with the kings.

 **Translation:**

 **Amore: Love**

 **Mi piacerebbe molto sentirti suonare il violin: I would very much love to hear you play the violin**

 **Il mio amore: My love**

 **la mia dolce colomba: My sweet dove**


	20. Chapter 20

Saphira felt very pampered over the next week. Her stitches remained in place thankfully and she was able to get into a wheelchair the day after waking up. The kings almost never left her side, except for when they needed to go hunting, and helped with her every need. She had to admit, it was a little awkward for when she needed to use the bathroom and they insisted on helping her. While she appreciated it, it wasn't exactly something she wanted them to really see even if they weren't bothered by it. Of course, they would see her naked eventually, but it was just awkward. Caius kept his promise and purchased a beautiful violin from Seattle. It was an expensive instrument, but it was between with real gold etched into the body of the violin, creating leaf patterns and the body was made from expensive wood materials that Saphira didn't know much about. But, hearing him serenade her with beautiful songs that he had written and memorized, and seeing him with a smile on his face everytime he played her the music made Saphira almost see him human again for a short time. It seemed to be a way for him escape briefly from the vampire life, at least that is what she could see. It was even more magical when Aro bought a harp to play along and she often had the best dreams from this, seeing herself flying in a world of romance and music, and waking up to find at least one of her mates either sitting on the bed next to her, laying next to her or just sitting on one of the chairs next to the bed. It was the best feeling, along with the fact she was able to walk at the end of the week and began to learn to dance slowly with Aro. It was like a form of waltz, a little altered, but it wasn't a difficult dance. It was only made different with her still healing leg. But, as she would be leaving by the end of the week now that her leg was healing very quickly, Saphira knew the ceremony wasn't far away.

It was mid-morning on that Tuesday, and Saphira had decided to contact Avery. She had told him she would be returning to Italy for work, but failed to mention when. She figured she should let him know and she may not see him again because of it. In the whole time she has had with the vampires, she had forgotten about him. She felt bad about it, but her life really changed so much that it was hard to keep up with anything. But he never tried to make contact with her either. While the kings were out hunting and the Cullens out with Bella, Saphira decided to make a call to him. She made sure to call him when he wouldn't be busy as well. She was a little nervous, she wouldn't tell him about the kings as she knew he would not approve, but he did approve of her job in Italy.

"Hello Saphira," Avery's tired voice answered after three rings.

"Good morning Avery, how are you?" Saphira asked with a slight smile. "You sound like you have had a long day already."

"Oh, you have no idea," Avery said with a laugh. "It's been a while since we have spoken."

"Yes it has, I'm sorry I only contacted you when I had a confirmed job in Italy," Saphira said gently, rubbing her leg that wasn't as heavily bandaged as it was. "I have just been so busy with sorting out things here that it took up most of my time."

"It's okay, I am at fault for not calling either," Avery said reassuringly. "I have been going through some things too. After I found out my mother has cancer…I guess I just hit a place where I didn't want anyone around."

"Oh, I am terribly sorry," Saphira said with a slight gasp. "You must have found out after we returned from Italy."

Saphira could envision Avery nodding before speaking. "Yes, and apparently they found out while we were in Italy," He explained. "They just didn't want to tell me so I wouldn't come home after saving so much money for our trip. Unfortunately, it's terminal and I don't know how long I have with her."

She could not help very feel sad herself. She knew what it was like, but to watch your mother wither away probably would be a lot worse.

"I wish I could be there for you Avery," Saphira said in an understanding tone. "I understand how you must be feeling, trust me, but I also know that I will not experience the same pain as you watching your mother battle this fight."

"Thank you Saphira, I don't want you to stay because of this," Avery said with a sniffle. She could tell he was crying now. "You have a life to look forward to in Italy, and make sure those three creeps don't get the best of you." Saphira smiled, knowing that was too late. "When are you leaving by the way?"

"In a few days from now. I will be leaving early morning Friday and will take the long flight to Venice before heading down to Florence. I will be working in a special medical field there and I will be trained as well."

"How exciting!" Avery exclaimed. "I am happy for you. I should look up to you for inspiration, I know you had a hard time after your parents died and now you are going to live in a place you love. I hope I find the same thing."

"You will Avery," Saphira encouraged. "You will, do not give up. It will be so hard, I know. I am leaving my parents behind and it's breaking my heart, but they would want me to go. So don't do it for yourself Avery. It should be for your mother."

Avery's deep sigh trembled through the phone. "I really needed that Saphira…thank you, and I wish you all the best. I hope you'll try and stay in touch, but I understand if you're too busy and due to our time difference."

"You're welcome, and I wish your mother well and that she will be strong through this whole thing," Saphira said softly. She glanced up as she sensed a presence to see Aro watching her curiously. Saphira smiled at him before finishing up with Avery. "Get your mother a bouquet of tulips and tell her they're from me to wish her well, I know they are her favourite."

"I shall do that," Avery said softly. "Thank you again Saphira, and farewell."

He hangs up the phone and Saphira puts the phone down slowly with a deep, feeling a little sad by all that. Aro walked over to sit beside her on the couch.

Saphira looked at him with a smile. "How was your hunting il mio amore?" She asked sweetly.

Aro smiled back at her. "It was pleasant, but I sometimes am not always satisfied because I'm away from you," He said lovingly, making Saphira giggle. "Was that your friend?"

"Yes, Avery," She nods. "I was just saying good bye and giving my condolences to him. His mother has terminal cancer, and he found out when we arrived back from Italy. And honestly, I can't help but be a little glad my parents didn't get cancer and die slowly, even if it still hurts."

He puts an arm over her shoulders to pull her closer to him so Saphira was leaning against his body. "I guess there are some things we experience and realize that some have it worse than us," Aro said gently. "Il mio amore, do not let what your friend is going through get you down. I know you thought of your parents, even if it's not exactly the same."

Saphira was silent for a moment, thinking over what he had said. It made sense and she looked up at him. "Even if Avery didn't have this sad time in his life Aro, I will still think of my parents from time to time," She said gently. "I have been for a couple days because we will be going home soon. And, I almost want to visit the cemetery again…even though I already said good bye."

"Do you feel you need to do that?" Aro asked curiously.

Saphira wasn't really sure how to answer. It was a hard question for her, she had already said good bye, but she wanted to do it again. She knew it was just the part of her that was clinging to them doing this and perhaps she should wait until they returned to America.

"Yes and no if I were honest, but then I would be making up another excuse to stay," Saphira said with a smile. "And besides…" She playfully pushes Aro back so she could lay on his chest, making him chuckle. "My leg should be the very last excuse."

The vampire laughed, flashing his brilliant white teeth and brushing her hair from her face. "Yes indeed," He agreed. "Shall we continue practising our dancing?"

"Oh, yes we should!" Saphira said enthusiastically as she sat up. "My leg isn't hurting much today, so maybe can move a little faster."

As Aro stands up, he extends his hand to help her up. "I would rather be careful Saphira, your stitches might not come undone now, but I don't want to make it worse accidentally by overdoing it. And if I am honest, we don't dance much faster than we have been when we have a ceremony."

Saphira took his hand and stood up with a slight limp. She was amused that he cared about her wellbeing so much, that it was like the kings were helicopter parents. It was endearing and a little annoying at the same time. "Very well, I think I am getting the hang of it anyway. I just want to get my grace on."

"That will come when you're not in pain il mio amore," Aro chuckled as he took her other hand. "But today, we can practise the other dance moves I think. The waltz part was easy, but as you'll be dancing between the three of us, there are some added dance moves that are easy, but graceful. If Jane was here, I could demonstrate with her."

"And why isn't she here?" Saphira asked softly. "The guard haven't been here a week, are they that ashamed of letting me down?"

"That is why they aren't here, they've recovered from their punishment, but their confidence is a little torn after letting you down," Aro said with a sigh. "I have told them they can come around to see you, but they feel too ashamed and Felix and Demetri have already returned to Volterra."

Saphira was surprised by this and was a little angry. "Well…I would be happy if Jane and Alec came around…"

"I know la mia dolce farfalla," The vampire kissed Saphira's forehead gently, sensing her disappointment and anger. He rubbed her hands with his thumbs gently. "You'll have your chance to let them know. Let's focus on the dance, this time with the hands first."

Saphira sighed deeply, deciding to focus on the practise as she wanted to be able to dance at their ceremony. Aro held his hands up and flat against Saphira's and began moving her hands up then down and outward and back in to move forward slightly and back. They repeated this a few times before Saphira could do it with him until he added another to practice. After moving forward and slightly back, Aro gently pulled to the left and then right with Saphira moving the opposite direction and letting go to spin gently, finding herself with Caius who had returned and was watching before joining in. This surprised Saphira and made her giggle as Caius began to dance with her, not just with what they were just practising, but the who waltz.

"You've been getting better at this," Caius commented. "Too bad I won't be playing the music at the ceremony."

"I am sure whoever you have playing the music will be excellent Caius," Saphira said confidently. "But of course, not like you. Never like you."

The blonde vampire chuckled softly. "No surprise that your mate has the best music."

"Yep, and perhaps the piano too," Saphira suggests. "I've heard Edward play it for Bella a few times and I have often wondered if you can."

Caius and Aro just smiled, unbeknownst to Saphira Marcus had been learning to play the piano while she has been sleeping so he could also play an instrument. And he was getting very good at it quickly with Edward helping him.

They continue to dance for another five minutes before Marcus arrived and joined in. Saphira already felt she could dance like this forever. Aro added another few moves for them to practise before a pain shot through her leg. Saphira didn't say anything, but her facial expression showed the kings she had done enough and made her sit down.

"You've really gotten better at the dancing," Caius said sweetly, rubbing his thumb over her cheek gently. "Despite the injury, and your comment about not able to dance, you're a natural. It's like you were born for it."

"Of course I was born for this Caius," Saphira said lovingly with a smile. She placed her hand on his against her cheek "It would be silly not to believe otherwise."

The vampire pulled her closer, letting her head rest on his shoulder. "I know we have said this already, but I am so glad, bel cigno, that you have accepted us and your future," He purrs softly, leaning closer until he was inches away from her lips. Saphira's body shivered in anticipation. "My love for you has grown so much bigger, not just because you are beautiful, but how brave you are. We have seen human mates die because they refuse their vampire mates and the destruction it creates on a vampire. Our lives are saved because of you."

Saphira felt tears at the corner of her eyes. "Oh Caius…farei qualunque cosa per te," Her voice filled with love and trembling excitement. "Voglio solo stare con tutti voi."

Caius smiled, Saphira has been waiting for one of their lips to touch hers. But he pulled away, making her pout in disappointment. Caius smiled at her. "All in good time il mio amore, all in good time."

Aro walked over with a smug expression as he brought over a glass of water for Saphira. "I feel the same way about you as Caius does Saphira, so does Marcus," Aro said gently. "No matter what happens…you are ours. And ours alone, it feels surreal to me that you will be home in a few short days and we will finally crown you as queen."

"I'm on cloud nine," Saphira chuckled, sipping some water. She sighed deeply, glancing away as she felt disappointed that Caius didn't kiss her.

"Saphira," Caius purred, making Saphira look at him.

The blonde vampire smiled before leaning forward and finally placing his lips on hers. His fingers ran through her hair gently as Saphira's eyes were wide before she relaxed with a happy moan as she returned the kiss. He pulls away with a smirk.

"You really had to prolong that didn't you?" Saphira asked, her cheeks were red as her body felt like it was floating on clouds right now.

"I did…your pouty face was just too adorable to pass up," Caius chuckled softly.

Aro had his eyebrow raised with a grin himself. Saphira looked at him, wondering if he was saving his kiss for the ceremony. She didn't know, but Saphira stayed close to Caius for the moment before the Cullens returned to help start dinner for Saphira. Saphira's heart was full of love and joy right now, and she couldn't wait to board the jet to go home. _Home, that feels a world away._

 **Translation:**

 **il mio amore: my love**

 **la mia dolce farfalle: my sweet butterfly**

 **bel cigno: beautiful swan**

 **farei qualunque cosa per te: I would do anything for you**

 **Voglio solo stare con tutti voi: I just want to be with you all**


	21. Chapter 21

The bandages finally came off, and on the eve of when Saphira will be boarding the jet to fly to Italy to finally arrived home. She was ecstatic and her wound, while still not pretty to look at, did not hurt and she was able to move around quicker than she had before. It was useful as she began practising the dance moves for the ceremony alone whenever she was left alone. And now with the bandage off, the kings were very glad that Saphira was healing very quickly. And she thanked it to her love for the kings, and her yearn to go home. The wound should be fully healed at the start of the following month, and won't hinder her ability to dance at the ceremony. Even if the kings might have had it rescheduled to let her heal for a bit longer. Not that it worried her too much, it will be wonderful no matter how long it was going to take. Right now, the kings had made it their mission to get her things together with Carlisle's assistance.

"She won't need a lot of clothes Carlisle, her wardrobe is a quarter full back in Volterra, she will have plenty," Aro said while Saphira sat at the table with Bella eating some roast beef Esme had kindly prepared.

Carlisle smiled at him as he held a suitcase. "I'm aware, but Saphira did pack this earlier before I took off the bandage," He said, holding it out to Aro. "My guess is she would like to at least take her underwear."

Saphira was smirking as it was amusing as Aro realized she didn't pack any clothes other then her underwear. "I feel silly that I forgot humans need that too…aside from bras and lingerie," Aro said, taking the suitcase quickly out to Carlisle's car as he had offered to drive them to the airport in the morning.

Saphira chuckled softly and looked to Bella. "Somehow, I wish I was more like you in terms of clothes," She said.

Bella was surprised by the comment before smirking. "Right, simple jeans and a t-shirt is we need really," She said jokingly. "But it never stops Alice from trying."

"It will be same for when we start planning your wedding," Alice said, playfully messing Bella's hair as she had picked up some nice perfumes for Saphira and she had approved of.

"It's a shame I might not be able to make it," Saphira sighed deeply, finishing off her plate and leaning back to pat her stomach.

Bella grinned and looked over to the kings who were talking quietly to each other before getting more things. "I don't think I blame you." She looked back at Saphira. "But to be honest, if it was just you, I'd be okay with it."

"I know, don't worry, I'll make sure they won't pressure Edward into changing you," Saphira said, patting Bella's hand. "Hopefully…it won't be a bad decision given your family."

"I know…that's the one thing everyone keeps saying," The brown-haired girl said as she finished her plate. "But I understand. I just hope that Charlie will be able to be happy."

"That's all the matters now I suppose, hopefully Jacob will be fine with it," Saphira said softly.

Bella frowned slightly at Saphira to not mention the wolves, and Saphira mouthed 'sorry' as she forgot how good vampire hearing is. "Who knows, he's not very happy about me getting married, but I don't feel the same way to him as he does to me."

"I can't imagine that with me," Saphira chuckled. "I am pretty sure anyone who tries to flirt with me will be scared off very easily."

"That I can completely agree, Edward did that for me once and I am sure that your boyfriends are way scarier." Saphira chuckled softly before Bella stood up to start cleaning up before Esme walked over.

"Allow me, I'll be quicker," Esme said as she took the plates and looked at Saphira. "The car is full now. The kings are now discussing seating arrangements in the car."

"Mmm…I imagine I'll be in the back between two of them," Saphira said softly, rubbing her chin in thought. "And I will probably fall asleep on one of them as it's a very early start."

"Actually, I think they won't wake you up, they plan on carrying you out to the car and then wake you up when you get to the airport." Saphira was surprised as Esme walked over to the sink to start washing the dishes.

"At least I have idea of what to expect. A sleeping woman being carried through an airport would certainly look suspicious."

"Oh yeah," Bella agreed with a smile. "Hopefully Volterra will be nicer for you then it was for me."

Saphira smiled. "And to think I probably was in Italy at the time you were there, oh well."

"I doubt you would have in any state to prevent me almost being killed," Bella said with a shrug.

"True…I have no idea how it would have turned out if I met them in Volterra. Maybe not as nice, but I don't know."

"Even if they wouldn't have hurt you, I understand where you're coming from. Anyway, I am sure your wedding will be fabulous. I keep hearing everyone talk about a ceremony for the queen."

Saphira blushed a little. "From what I understand, I am pretty sure I am underestimating it completely. On the bright side, I'm the only one who needs food."

"Less messy and less wine, but everything else will be phenomenal."

Saphira nods dreamily before looking up to see Jane walk into the living room nervously

Saphira was surprised and happy to see her that she got up quickly and walked over to her. Jane glanced down at Saphira's leg before being hugged by her.

"I've missed my vampire sister, why have you been hiding?" Saphira asked, releasing the blonde vampire from the hug.

Jane looked so sad and apologetic that it just didn't suit her. "I am very sorry, my queen," Jane said as she held Saphira's hand in her palm. "I am very sorry that we, the guard, left you defenceless that day. We have stayed away because…we have been too ashamed to come to you. But Marcus has made it clear to my brother and I that you would rather us near. I am sorry."

Saphira was touched by Jane's sincerity, but it wasn't necessary in her mind. "Jane, I am not mad at you. You could not have known what Riley was going to do, and yes, you made the decision to let me drive alone. But I have a feeling, Riley still would have caused the injury he did to me even if someone was in the car with me. I have no hard feelings Jane, from now on I will have you around all the time."

Jane was relieved and smiled. "Thank you, my queen, I really felt you were angry. I find it amusing you were more upset with our absence than not being with you when the accident happened."

"I don't remember all of it, to be honest Jane, I remember only some of the accident now and it's your presence I would have liked to have around. Even though, it has been real nice having the kings around. Also, please just call me Saphira." Jane raises an eyebrow at Saphira. "I'm serious Jane, no formalities until we get to Volterra. Same with Alec, whenever he will show up."

"Alec has actually just left the airport to Italy himself," Jane said softly. Saphira's face dropped with disappointment. "I'm sorry, but he, Felix and Demetri feel the worst. Especially Demetri as he was assigned to protect you."

"Well…I guess we need to work on being courageous I see," Saphira said with a sigh. "At least you're here, but I don't think you'll fit in the car tomorrow morning."  
"I'll be heading to Seattle tonight to ensure the jet is ready for the morning," Jane smiled. "I know I'm only here for a short time tonight, but the kings have asked me to see the preparations. And I'd rather not have another round of punishment. I hope you weren't told how."

"I don't want to know how you were punished, but I completely understand," Saphira said softly. "And I am not going to make you stay. While I am not angry at you, the kings might still be and I would rather you be on their good side right now. So I would advise you to do that, even if I am disappointed that you aren't staying."

Jane laughed lightly and rolled her eyes. "At least, I can look forward to hearing more laughter in Volterra thanks to you."

Saphira nods with a smile before giving her another hug goodbye so Jane could leave to head to the airport. She watched Jane leave and saw Caius give Jane a stern look before saying something. Saphira sighed deeply, the kings were not going to let this go and she wasn't about to tell them otherwise. Considering she had no idea how scared they were for her when she was in the car.

Deciding it was best that she got ready for bed, Saphira said her good night to Bella and Esme before heading to her room to get changed. She also got out some clothes to wear tomorrow. She wondered if they would change her into the clothes or not. She would find out as she folded a pair of jeans, shirt and jacket to place onto a chair with some socks and pair of shoes as well. She changed out of the jeans and shirt she was currently wearing into the warm, pink pyjamas before hearing a knock at her door.

"Enter," Saphira said as she brushed her hair while sitting on her bed.

She smiled as she saw Aro walking into the room. "Come stai sentendo il mio amore?" Aro asked curiously, walking over to sit beside Saphira.

"A little nervous…but I think that's excited nervous," Saphira smiled.

Aro smiled at her. "I've noticed, I suspect the reality of finally flying over to Italy is setting in," He said softly. "At least it will all go smooth."

"Even though I almost think I am just going to wake up from an amazing dream," Saphira joked.

The vampire was a little surprised before smirking and began tickling her sides. It was Saphira's weak spot and she began laughing and trying to push him away. "Let's make your dream all ticklish then," Aro chuckled.

"Aro! Stop!" Saphira laughed, dropping the brushing as she wriggled. "My hair's going to be messy again!" Aro moved his hands up, still tickling. Tears from the laughter fell from her eyes from this. "Stop, my stomach's going to hurt."

Caius entered the room and saw Aro tickling Saphira. It made him laugh. "Are you torturing our mate with tickles?"

"She thinks this could be a dream, I'm just tickling that out of her," Aro responds playfully.

"Stop! My stomach hurts!" Saphira laughed before coughing a little due to the laughing making her throat a bit dry.

Aro stops and Saphira was still giggling for a little bit before she would calm down. "Did that do the trick?" He asked with a smile.

"Now I am more awake," Saphira said, lifting her foot to playfully kick his arm. "Thanks for that. You'll have to unpack your harp or violin to make me sleep now."

"That won't be a problem," Caius said with a smile. "It will be Marcus who will be helping with that though."

"Marcus?" Saphira said with a frown. "Is there some surprise is there?" The kings nod. "Ooh, well, I am highly curious."

"When you are ready to sleep, I shall serenade you with a lullaby," Marcus's gentle voice entered the room. "Il mio amore, I hope you will dream of clouds with the music I have made."

"I'm like that with Aro and Caius, so I am sure I will be amongst the stars with yours," Saphira said as she stretched and leaned against Aro. "So, with tomorrow, what will our car seat arrangements be?"

"To be honest, we haven't worked that out," Caius said, rubbing the back of his head uncertainly. "We can't decide who should sit beside you as you'll sit in between two of us. And we all want to sit next to you."

"Right…well, that is a hard decision," Saphira said softly with a sigh. She smirked at them. "But a little amusing at the same time. I can't believe I am making seating arrangements hard."

Aro chuckled softly. "You aren't wrong, I know I will sit next to you as I am the head of the Volturi. But, Marcus and Caius can't sort it could." He playfully kisses Saphira's forehead. "If you can't, we'll sort it out in the morning. You won't worry if we change you into the clothes you've prepared in the morning?"

"Of course not, if you don't feel you should see me naked without my consent, I am sure Esme, Rosalie or Carlisle will do it," Saphira smiled. "As long as I am not woken up and be grumpy, it should be fine."

"I have a feeling you'll be grumpy when we wake you at the airport," Caius said with a dreary sigh.

Saphira blinked in surprise, not believing he said that. "Well…I am a girl, so…yeah, I probably will be grumpy for about an hour or until I get some coffee within the hour. It's kind of normal."

Marcus was laughing lightly, as Caius's ridiculous, but accurate statement, was not expected. Even Aro was laughing at him and Caius eventually laughed too as he realized how silly he sounded.

"I apologize," Caius said through his chuckling.

Saphira rolled her eyes and sighed deeply. She looked at Aro curiously. "Should I expect those kinds of comments from all three of you?"

"Probably," Aro teased. "But it's all just truth and tease."

"I know," Saphira chuckled with a stretch of the arms. She checked the time and saw it was eight thirty, which was early to her, but she needed an early start. "I probably should try to sleep. Marcus, suona il tuo cuore per me."

Marcus was beaming with that sentence. "I shall not disappoint, il mio amore," He said as he walked out of the door, confusing Saphira a little as she got under the covers.

Aro pulled the blankets up to tuck Saphira in. "We'll leave the door open for you, il mio amore, that way you can hear him better."

That's when Saphira realized Marcus would play the piano. She so wanted to be sitting next to him listening right now, but soon she heard a beautiful, melodic composition fill her room. She smiled as Aro and Caius remained in the room listening to the music along with Saphira. She could feel through her bond and through the music, how much Marcus cared and loved her. It was beautiful. His disappointment of not having musical talents seemed to make him want to learn an instrument. Saphira fell asleep while looking forward to hearing more of their music in the future in Volterra, and feeling like she was among diamonds and stars in the sky.

 **Translate:**

 **Come stai sentendo il mio amore: How are you feeling my love?**

 **Suona il tuo cuore per me: play your heart out for me**

 **Il mio amore: my love**


	22. Chapter 22

Saphira's dreams were full of the sweet melody Marcus had played for her that night to help her sleep. Mostly, and she did not wake up when she was taken from the bed and changed into the clothes she had prepared at one in the morning. The vampires needed to leave at this time so it was still dark when they board the plane. Saphira was wrapped in a blanket after being placed in the middle of the back seat with Aro and Marcus beside her. It seemed Caius felt Marcus earned the right to sit next to Saphira after serenading her to sleep the night before. Though unfortunately, Saphira's dreams were turning from good to bad now that she was in the car. While Saphira seemed to have recovered physically from the accident, nightmares of that day will still plague her mind at night, and the kings were going to find that out that morning.

 _She was running, she knew she was running. But from what? Nothing, she was running to something as her friend was in grave danger. A friend she once knew in high school before leaving for college was in danger. And Saphira had to save her from it. Despite that she was running, it felt incredibly slow, she was running to the school as there was a fire. She continued to run until she saw a black SUV. The driver door was open and the keys were inside, she ran to it and got into it. She turned on the car and began driving away, not realizing that the scenery had changed from a township to open road with pine trees either side. She wasn't speeding, but Saphira still felt she was in a hurry. That is, until she saw a figure in front of her. She squints, not knowing what that was. At first, it looked like it was a deer in the middle of the road and she began beeping the horn to get it to move out of the way. It turned around and turned into a man, staring at her. Saphira was alarmed and attempted to go around the man, but she felt a slam on the hood of the car and the car hurdled towards a tree. SLAM_

"Saphira?!" Aro's alarmed voice entered her ears after Saphira opened her eyes suddenly with a start. "After you okay? Il mio amore…Carlisle didn't mean to scare you."

Saphira breathed deeply as she blinked wearily, not realizing at first, she was in a car. She looked around and saw Marcus on her right looking at her with worry and Caius in front of her, glancing at from a seat in front of her.

"Sorry Saphira, a moose ran out in front of the car," Carlisle's calm voice reached Saphira's ears. "I had to avoid the animal; we don't need you to be recovering from another injury."

Saphira was silent and realized she was leaning against Aro with her hand holding his arm. She licked her lips and yawned. "You might have woken me up Carlisle, I…I was just having a nightmare so…probably a good thing."

Carlisle was looking at her curiously in the rear-view mirror. "Was it about the accident?"

"Not…not exactly," Saphira said, moving to grip Aro's arm more as she snuggled against him to relax.

"I figured you would," Carlisle sighed.

"Oh, mio caro amore," Aro cooed, rubbing Saphira's cheek gently to wipe a tear that had fallen. "I didn't think it would affect you this way. You seemed to be recovering so well."

"I'm human still Aro…it's a good thing I don't have PTSD," She said softly.

"Maybe you should go to therapy before…" Carlisle began.

Saphira stiffened. "NO!" She shouts, surprising the vampires. "I can speak Italian Carlisle; I am sure there are therapists I can talk to. But it's not a good idea in case I slip up on the vampires. Plus, I don't want anything more holding me back now." The vampires were shocked that Saphira had refused therapy, but the kings were quick to be happy she wanted to go home. "I just want to get to the airport so we can go home."

Aro smiled gently. "And we will, if you feel you need therapy, there are vampires at the castle who might be able to be your therapist," He said gently. "Go back to sleep il mio amore, I am here and hope your dreams are sweet."

Saphira smiled at him. "I won't dream at this time, but thanks," She said as she closed her eyes to fall asleep again. "And try to be gentle with the breaks Carlisle."

"I shall be careful Saphira," Carlisle reassured Saphira as she drifts off.

It was good the kings weren't as harsh on Carlisle about waking her up as they were with Felix when he almost ran her over with the limousine. Perhaps it was due to different circumstances and Saphira would have woken up with a start anyway.

Saphira was able to sleep for the rest of the drive until they reached the airport. Aro gently woke her and Saphira was helped out of the car as her brain worked on functioning for the day. She would likely fall asleep on the plain, but for now Saphira wanted to get a coffee. They had arrived there at four and thankfully it was still dark. The pilot, who was a vampire himself, had alerted them they would be able to leave at four thirty and they were to wait in a private lounge until then. Jane was waiting for them, but Saphira was indeed grumpy. Not just because it was early, but her sudden awakening a couple hours earlier did not help at all. The kings were still helping her, but they were very careful with what they would say as they could sense Saphira's grumpiness. However, after fifteen minutes of waiting, they were able to board the plane.

"This is where we part," Carlisle said as they stand up. "I hope that you have a safe journey and I look forward to calling you queen, Saphira."

Saphira smiled at him. "Thank you, Carlisle, for everything that you've done since I fell into this strange world of yours," She said softly. "If only you lived in Europe, then we wouldn't have to fly." Carlisle chuckled before Saphira hugged him. He was surprised and glanced at the kings who didn't flinch before he hugged her back. "I hope to come back and visit sometime after Bella's honeymoon."

"We shall be ready and waiting for you," Carlisle said as they separated from the hug. "And if you need another person to talk to, don't hesitate."

Saphira smiled as she walked towards the door, pulling her jacket closer as she and the kings walk out to the jet. Saphira was surprised to see it was a small, passenger size jet. It was black with a large, golden V at the tail, it was well maintained and she could already see the luxury inside the plane. It was windy, but not too windy that they wouldn't get off the ground, but enough to make Saphira run to the stairs and climb them.

"Careful Saphira," Aro said as he walked up behind her quickly to prevent her from falling.

"I'm tired, not drunk Aro," Saphira teased as she reached the top. "And the wind's a bit cold. I rather your cold touch then the wind."

The vampire chuckled as Saphira turned and gasped when she saw a large space in front of her. Jane was sitting on one of the large, black sofas with dark mahogany trimming and tables, a flat screen TV hung above a fridge. Saphira noticed there was a wine bottle in the fridge and smiled. She walked in and immediately noticed the carpet was very soft, even with her shoes on. She smiled and took them off as the jet was very warm.

"This carpet is so soft," Saphira comments with a chuckle. "You've spared no expense on this jet."

"We have two jets in total…well, three, we have a smaller jet in Italy to travel over Europe for," Caius said as he took a seat. "We had this jet modified a little after we met you. There is a bedroom and bathroom near the back of the jet. We have brought you pyjamas from the Cullens if you wish to go back to sleep."

Saphira was surprised and ran to the back to find there was indeed a bedroom with a small bathroom and wardrobe. There was a queen-sized bed with high quality linen and pillows, a small TV hung above and she noticed a teapot with tea bags and cups. The room wasn't black like the main area, it was white with touches of gold and silver, the attention to detail was just so impressive. This was so nice and Saphira was amazed by the luxury.

"Do you like it?" Marcus's gentle voice made Saphira face him. "I assume you weren't expecting this kind of luxury, were you?"

"I've never been in first class, so this is just perfect," Saphira said sweetly. "I call this vampire class."

"That would be the very correct term for this," Marcus chuckled. "We will be taking off shortly Saphira, might be best if you take a seat first before you decide to get into the bed."

"Good idea." Saphira looked back at the bedroom before kissing the corner of Marcus's mouth.

She skipped over to Aro and sat next to him with heavy thump, even on the soft sofa, making Caius and Aro look at her curiously.

"Looks like Miss Grump has her caffeine high," Aro teased.

"Oh, stop it," Saphira chuckled softly. The smell of food caught her attention though. It seemed to be bacon and tomato; it made her stomach start to growl. "Whoever is cooking, now I want food."

"I can hear it," Marcus said as he walked to the door to the kitchen. "Jane, don't serve that until we're in the air."

"I'm just preparing the omelette that's all," Jane's voice responds gently.

"Very well, we don't need food everywhere," Marcus said as he turned around. Saphira had a smug expression as she looked at him. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You can't blame Jane if food pieces end up on the sofas or carpet," Saphira teased. "Because I might spill some accidentally. So, while she might not make a mess in the kitchen, I hope I'm free of being disciplined for spilling a little food."

"It is to be expected," Aro said with a small huff. "We won't be mad, but you love to remind us how human you are."

"Yep, I certainly do," Saphira chuckled. "Just like when that time of the month comes around, you will know it."

"Yes, and we will give you your space," Caius, now feeling awkward at the mention of periods.

It wasn't something the vampires really want to think about, but they know Saphira will get it every month until she's a vampire. It wasn't comfortable for them, but they would live with it.

When the seatbelt light came on, Saphira buckled up. She noticed the vampires did the same and wondered if they would survive a plane crash if it happened. She wasn't sure, but didn't want to think about it either. Jane walked out to sit down and buckle up too. She realized the pilot of the jet didn't say anything, but she trusted that their pilot as the kings certainly did. Saphira leaned against Aro as the plane began to move towards the runway.

"Am I still dreaming?" Saphira said suddenly. "It feels so…surreal right now."

Aro smiled down at her. "It's just as surreal for us as it is for you Saphira, we thought we were dreaming when we first met you."

"Really?" Saphira was surprised and looked at him. "How did you cope? I don't I have asked."

"It was…extremely hard," Caius said cautiously. "To know you were in a different country, it was hard for us to not come to you and take you."

"You would have done that?"

"Yes…but thankfully, Carlisle is good at keeping our heads together," Marcus explained. "Even if we do not understand their desire to blend in with humans and hunt animals, he is the only one who can interact with humans safely because he is a doctor. It's why Demetri contacted Carlisle when he realized you lived in Forks. We needed his guidance on how we can reach you without scaring you."

"And it worked, with Carlisle we were able to be patient, painfully," Aro added, running his fingers through Saphira's hair. "Once the issues with the newborns came about, we almost flew over instead of the guard out of impulse, but we were needed in Volterra at the time and we would have indeed scared you. We do not want to do that, ever."

"È una promessa che tutti faremo, amore mio," Marcus said reassuringly.

The vampires are just too sweet. Saphira loved them, their attention to not scaring her and wanting her to feel happy just made her love them so much more. She couldn't care for the material things in the plane, she wanted them more then anything. When the play was at level height, Jane finished making the tomato, bacon and feta omelette which was absolutely delicious before Saphira would go to the bedroom. Saphira was tempted to true and coax the kings in with her, but realized it probably wasn't the best time. She hoped to fulfil a new desire growing inside her after the ceremony at least, even if she did not know the day it would take place. And she knew the kings had the same desire, Aro had a new expression that she noticed and knew what he wanted. But like her, they had to control themselves until the right time.

Over the next thirteen hours, Saphira was able to sleep another four hours before waking up and spending time with the kings. Jane had made her French toast and donut which filled her up. Saphira ended up finding the game Twister in the jet, which surprised her, and they all ended up playing that for an hour. It was a hilarious mix, Saphira couldn't understand how flexible the vampires were and ended up being the one to spin the arrow for the colour. After that, they played some chess, UNO, and Saphira was able to get to know them more. They were hesitant on telling her their pasts though, it was something they were adamant that she didn't need to know about. Perhaps the kings in the past were not the same as what she knew now. But as she is going to be queen, she knew she'd find out someday. About two hours before landing, Saphira had fallen asleep again before Caius gently woke her up.

"We are about to land Saphira," He said before carrying her out of the bedroom to have her sit in a sofa and buckled her.

Saphira yawned and looked out the window, seeing that it was late afternoon. The sunset was beautiful and Saphira was able to see a familiar city. She gasped and realized they had arrived to Venice. The kings were as excited as Saphira, and her reaction made them even happier.

"Benvenuti a casa in Italia," Aro said gently as he kissed Saphira's cheek, causing her to blush in response.

She felt happy to finally arrive in Italy, time to go home to Volterra.

 **Translate:**

 **Il mio amore: my love**

 **mio caro amore: my sweet love**

 **È una promessa che tutti faremo, amore mio: It's a promise we all will make, my love**

 **Benvenuti a casa in Italia: welcome home to Italy**


	23. Chapter 23

The plane finally had landed and was guided to a private hanger away from all the busy international flights that were arriving and leaving. Saphira was pleased with that as she didn't want to navigate through the crowds of tourists like she had done the first time she arrived, it was an unpleasant part of her journey. Nonetheless, being with her mates and able to leave straight away was a good thing. She didn't know if any border control officers were here to greet them, but she would learn later that the officer would in fact be a vampire himself so it is why it will be a breeze to get through. Saphira turned away from the window as the plane came to a stop and stairs were wheeled over to the door to let them off.

Aro stood up with a smile. "Allow me to get off first," He said gently. "I know you want to get off the plane as much as we do, but it's accustomed that I get off first."

"Fine with me," Saphira said with a chuckle. She looked at Caius. "Does that mean you will follow behind him?"

"Actually no," The blonde vampire said, shaking his head before explaining why. "Even though you are queen to all of us, Aro is the head of our order and you are essentially second in command. So it would be customary for you to follow behind him."

Saphira was surprised she was second in command. She thought she wouldn't even be close to that given how much she still had to learn and that she wasn't a vampire herself yet either. And she still has yet to make a decision whether or not she wanted to even be a vampire.

"Very well then," Saphira said, standing up with a smile. "È ora di salutare di nuovo questo bellissimo paese."

She walked over to the door as Aro had just gone through it and down the stairs. He had greeted several people at the bottom of the stairs, several were vampires she had never seen before and a few others appeared to be human. Saphira noticed a limousine sitting in a driveway a little way from the plane and as she glanced around, she saw the other two jets the kings have mentioned before. They too were black with a golden V on the tail of the planes.

As Saphira reached the bottom, she stumbled a little as the last stepped was a little high from the ground and she wasn't expecting it as she was distracted. "Careful," A familiar voice said as she was caught by the arm. "We don't need another accident.

Saphira's face lit up when she recognized Demetri's voice and she looked at him with a smile. "It's so nice to see you again," Saphira said, and saw he was about to say something, but she stopped him by raising her hand. "And don't apologize, I don't need another one because I know you're sorry. You don't need to keep this guilt on yourself, same for Felix. I imagine he's our driver."

Demetri smiled and was relieved that Saphira wasn't looking for an apology from him. "Thank you Saphira, I hate the burden of knowing we could have protected you and failed. Even if I apologized, the burden wouldn't go away. And no." He chuckled softly. "Aro requested that I drive, as he felt that Felix might cause you to panic due to the trauma you had."

"Of right…cause I might kick his head instead of the bonnet next time," Saphira joked, even though she guessed Aro had contacted Demetri and Felix about her nightmare when they were on the way to the Seattle airport.

"I'd love to see that," Demetri chuckled softly.

"As would I," Caius purred as he hugged Saphira from behind. "I think we should get going, we have passed all necessary immigration and can get going."

Saphira couldn't helped but lean back into his embrace, his scent tickled her nose and she smiled at him. "Well that's good…but how on earth did you manage to do that so quickly?"

"We have a lot of vampires working for us to ensure going in and out of Italy is a breeze," Caius explained, laying his chin on her right shoulder which caused Saphira to shudder as she felt his breath on her ear. "It will be same when you are made citizen here."

"Are you still citizens here? How do manage to conceal your age?" Saphira asked, closing her eyes as she enjoyed the closeness right now.  
"Yes we are and it's due to vampires working within the government to ensure that nothing looks suspicious," Caius said, changing his tone to a husky tone that almost made Saphira's legs buckle under her from desire. "I think we should get in the car, it's not the right place to get carried away."

Saphira felt disappointed, but she opened her eyes and Caius kissed her cheek before pulling his arms away. But he held out his hand to Saphira and she gladly took it as they walk to the limousine. Aro and Marcus were waiting with Jane already seated in the front passenger seat and Demetri waiting to close the doors for the kings and queen.

"After you, principessa," Marcus said with a light bow.

Saphira could feel her cheeks were crimson and she was grinning from ear to ear. "You are just too cute," She giggled, even though she enjoyed the gentlemanly politely from the kings given they are from a different time.

Caius lets go of Saphira's hand as she climbed into the limousine. She wondered if this was the same one she first saw the kings in. Inside, it was a very luxurious, simple limousine. It didn't have neon lights or even a jacuzzi, but it did have very soft, real leather, beige seats with a mahogany cabinet. Saphira saw a small wine cabinet, fridge and a TV. There were red rose petals all over the bench of the cabinet with a wine glass, a heart shaped chocolate box, a small black jewellery box and a bottle of a very expensive Italian wine. It was a bottle of the bruno giacosa collina rionda and Saphira was honestly surprised to see it, it's one of the most expensive Italian wines and is an aged wine, something Saphira really liked. The kings must have managed to purchase one of these bottles from somewhere as this wasn't a common wine to even get.

"Wow," Saphira simply said as she stared at the wine bottle.

"I hope red wine is something you like," Aro said as he sat next to Saphira.

"Well, it's not actually, but aged red wine is very nice," Saphira said, looking at the vampire who seemed a little disappointed. "I'm more of a Moscato wine person to be honest. But aged wine is definitely something of a luxury and I've only had one aged wine in my life, and I wish I had more."

"We are very capable of searching for aged wines should you want to have a collection," Caius said with a smile.  
"Oh, I'm not a drinker though," Saphira said with a smile. "I don't want to get drunk."  
The kings chuckled softly as the door is closed and Demetri enters the driver's seat to start the limousine. "We aren't wanting you to get drunk either. As we do have a lot of events, we will have food and drink available for you as you are still human, and we know a good wine is appreciated and if this is what you like, we shall do our best to find these aged wines even if they aren't Italian," Aro said as he reached for the bottle. "I hope you like the other gifts we have here. May I open this for you, amore?"

Saphira smiled and nods at him. "I haven't opened the little box yet," She said softly, reaching to grab it. "But I have loved everything so far."

While Aro opened the bottle and poured a glass for Saphira, she opened the box to find a beautiful ring. It was a pure gold ring with a large, white diamond and several brown and yellow diamonds set either side of it. It was beautiful and Saphira was quick to try it on, and it fit perfectly.

"It's beautiful," Saphira said with a smile.  
"Thank you," Marcus said happily, Saphira looked at him as she figured he made it. "I worked on it while we were waiting for you to come home before the accident. It's our betrothal gift to you as we all agreed on the design."

Her green eyes looked back at the ring with glee. "A bit like an engagement ring, but betrothal sounds a lot better," Saphira said lovingly. "Oh…I still can't believe this is real."

"It will be a good dream every day," Aro said as he held out the glass of wine to Saphira.

She took it and gently swirled it before sipping it. She didn't swallow straight away as she was curious and smiled, leaning back as she felt like she had just gone to heaven. "That's even better than the wine I had before," Saphira said with a sigh, leaning her head back with a giggle. "It'll help me sleep too."

"You still feel tired?" Caius asked in surprise.

"A little, but I'd like to see Volterra though. Even though it'll be night time, I still want to be awake as we enter the city," Saphira said, sipping some more of the wine before reaching for the chocolate box and opening it.

"And that is okay Caius, she will likely have jetlag for a little bit before everything settles," Marcus said to the blonde vampire.

"I suppose…oh well, when you do fall asleep il mio amore, we shall wake you like we did on the plane," Caius said sweetly, watching Saphira put a piece of chocolate in her mouth."

She smiled at him, knowing they were not lying.

And Saphira spent the time gazing out of the window of the limousine as Demetri drove through Venice while having a nice conversation with the kings. She was already curious about how the ceremony would go and she wanted to have some answers at the moment. She first wanted to know what day it was, and they told her the ceremony would actually be in a week's time as the kings wanted her to be over her jetlag so she can enjoy it thoroughly. And then she wanted to know what exactly would happen, even though the kings were very careful on what they said. They only told her that she would expect dancing, a speech and being able to meet and greet a number of vampires from around the world. When she finished her wine, she indeed fell asleep, still with more questions as she wondered how much she really had. Caius gave the impression she will have a lot of power, but still needed them to be present whenever something happened as Saphira is still very vulnerable as a human. If she ever becomes a vampire, handling problems herself would be allowed then. Saphira wasn't mad about that, and she would feel more confident with the kings by her side whenever she needed to make a judgement, statement or even just be a witness to something. And that may not even change if she became a vampire. About fifteen minutes before reaching Volterra, Saphira woke up before the kings could even wake her up. She was leaning against Aro and she could hear them talking amongst themselves, she wasn't sure if they knew she was awake.

"I guess we will have to deal with him when we get home," Aro growled, irritated about something that was brewing.

"I wish we would have been the ones to show Saphira to her room," Caius said sadly. "But this coward needs to be dealt with."

"I agree, as much as I want to be with Saphira, it hurts to know that this vampire decided to make a spectacle of himself and we're forced to destroy him," Aro said, rubbing his forehead in frustration.

Saphira caught onto what they were talking about and that made her feel sad, a vampire had gone and revealed himself to a human and the kings had to step in.

"At least the girl is dealt with, it's Zephyr that needs to be destroyed," Marcus calmly said, he was certainly the more calculating of the three kings. "But perhaps we can have Alec keep Zephyr in his place while we take Saphira to her room."

"No, we need to deal with this straight away." Aro's firm voice was quick to respond.

Saphira yawned silently and looked up. "I agree," She said wearily.

Aro looked down in surprise. "Amore, I didn't realize you had woken up," He said, rubbing her cheek gently. "I'm sorry if we woke you."

"No, you didn't, I just woke up on my own," Saphira said as she stretched her legs with a sigh. "And you should deal with this vampire. I heard enough to know what's going on."

"I'm really sorry that we can't show you to your room," Caius said with a sad expression.

Saphira rolled her eyes and sat up, stretching her arms. "Well, I have a different idea," She said, yawning again as she woke up.

"There's no rush Saphira," Aro said with a smile. "You are queen yes, but you need to settle in first."

Saphira relaxed and looked at him with a smile. "And would you stop me if I came with you to witness this?"

The kings looked at each other, uncertain if they would let Saphira come. "Well…we can't, you're the queen so you can come and witness the execution of this vampire," Caius said, rubbing the back of his head. He looked worried on how it would affect Saphira.

It amused Saphira, making her chuckle. "Good," She said, glancing out the window. "No point in hiding that fact. And then once he is dealt with." She waves her hand casually as she said that. "You can show me around the castle."

"We will show you around the castle tomorrow, but to your room we will," Marcus smiled. "I am happy that you are not afraid."

Saphira looked at him. "I'm nervous about what I will see Marcus, I don't deny that, but if I am going to witness such things I need to start now," She said gently. "But…I will not be present whenever you bring in a flock of humans to feed on. That's something I might not like to see for a while, or at all."

"And we completely understand," Aro said, pulling Saphira close to him with his arm. "Don't think too much on this for now Saphira, we are almost to Volterra."

"Are we?" Saphira asked excitedly, glancing out the window.

"Yes, about five minutes away now," Aro said with a smile.

Saphira almost felt like an excitedly child. She noticed there was a sunroof of the limousine that she could open and when she saw lights of a city in the distance, she wriggled out of Aro's arms to open the window and pull her head and shoulders out. Aro helped her and made sure she wouldn't slip while Saphira walked the castle come closer. She was excited as the lights were lit in the city, and she was sure she saw vampires in the windows pointing at the limousine excitedly and calling for others to come see. It felt so good to know she was welcome here. And the night was so beautiful. Saphira knew that she would witness the death of a vampire, but she wasn't intimidated by it. She looked at her hand to admire her ring, from today and onward, she promised herself that she would harden her heart to become more ruthless then she used to be, but still remain open minded and kind hearted, especially when it will come to investigating things before making a final judgement.

 **Translation:**

 **È ora di salutare di nuovo questo bellissimo paese: Time to greet this beautiful country again**

 **Principessa: Princess**

 **Amore: Love**

 **il mio amore: my love**


	24. Chapter 24

Driving into the underground carport was fascinating to witness. The entire town seemed to be accustomed to seeing this as no one seemed to bat an eye as the limousine entered the town and to the underground carport. Saphira was able to see several more limousines and a number of Lamborghini's and Ferrari's, which Saphira wasn't too surprised to see. But she did see one Ferrari with a bow on it. It was a brand-new, red Ferrari Portofino and the number plate had amore on it and Saphira couldn't help but smile, she already knew it was hers. There was also a white, Alfa Romeo Veloce, it was the only vehicle that wasn't among the super car range and Saphira also knew it was for her due to cigno on the number plate, at least she knew she would have some kind of freedom while living here as those cars were not there for a reason.

"I guess you weren't expecting us to purchase cars for you," Marcus said gently as he watched Saphira gaze at the cars.

"No actually, I expected this vehicle to be my carriage," Saphira looked at Marcus with a smile. "But, it's nice to know that I can have a bit of a break from the castle when I feel the need."

"Indeed, just as long as you don't get us speeding tickets, it will be fine," Marcus chuckled softly.

"To be honest, I have thought about returning them," Aro said honestly, surprising Marcus and Caius.

"Why?! This was your idea and she loves them," Caius asked with a confused expression.

Saphira sighed deeply and grabbed Aro's hand gently. "Thank you Aro, I know you're worried that I might now have a phobia of driving," She said gently, looking into his eyes. "But I assure you, I will be fine. I may panic if I have to brake suddenly or I hear the sound of tires or crashing, but I would like some freedom in being able to drive to varies parts of Italy. Don't return them please, if you need to feel better you can always come with me at some point."

Aro read Saphira's mind carefully and could see she did worry about driving, but she would still drive regardless. He worried that her anxiety would spike, and she would panic on the road, or her fear would increase if something else is to happen. He was worried, but he didn't want to hold her back either as Saphira would likely not stop demanding to leave for a break.

He sighed and kissed her forehead gently with a warm smile. "I shall keep them for you, but I may only give you the keys to the Veloce for now until you get some confidence back," He said sweetly, making Saphira frown. "Ferraris do demand more confidence and if you don't have it and panic, you'll find yourself in an accident. It happens quite often, and don't ever be overconfident either as the same happens."

"I've seen that before Aro, but if it brings you some piece of mind, I shall leave the Ferrari for a while," The girl said with a smile, licking her top lip as she spoke. "Shall we get out of the car? Demetri and Felix are waiting."

Caius and Marcus were already moving to get out, they both were smiling at Aro and Saphira as they didn't mind them delaying. But Saphira appreciated the concern Aro shared with her about the cars, it was obvious he didn't think they would be an issue until arriving to Forks and discovering how she was injured. Aro sighed and smiled at Saphira, moving to get up while still holding her hand.

"We shall nobildonna," He said in a very gentlemen tone as Saphira followed him out of the car. "We have business to attend to. Again, are you sure you want to come with us?"

Saphira nods affirmatively. "You're not going to be able to change my mind."

"Be aware that he will be nasty towards you, my queen," Alec's voice echoed as he entered the carport. "He's been very vocal and nasty about having a human queen. His disgusting behaviour may frighten you."

Saphira was surprised by this and, rather then scare her, it infuriated her. After all, she deserved the same respect as the kings now. The kings seemed surprised by her reaction, Caius was thrilled shortly afterwards as he could see Saphira becoming a stern queen that will become well respected among vampires.

"It seems he needs…a special kind of whipping," Saphira said in a cold, harsh tone the vampires had not heard before.

Her generally sweet voice changing to such a harsh tone actually sounded intimidating. Aro began having a theory of what kind of power she might have if she ever became a vampire, but it was something they would wait and see.

"Very well, follow me," Alec said with a bow, turning to walk down the hallway he came from.

Saphira followed with Aro in front of her and the other two kings either side of her with Caius on her left and Marcus to her right. Jane was behind them with Demetri and Felix. Saphira didn't feel any regret for not being shown to her room straight away, she wasn't even paying attention to her surroundings of the stone walls around her as she was focused. She had no idea who Zephyr was other then a vampire who revealed himself to a human, and he needed to be punished for that and for his disrespect to his queen. A punishment by a torturous death. Saphira didn't really know what kind of torture vampires get, but the kings have lived long enough to invent ways to do so. Obviously pulling their heads straight off was merciful rather than prolonging it.

Marcus's hand in hers made Saphira flinch in surprise from her focus. "Relax Saphira, you don't need to overthink any of this," He said gently.

She looked at him with an appreciative smile. "Thank you Marcus, but I need to prepare myself as much as I can before we meet him. Don't underestimate me, I might be a human, but I am taking this responsibility seriously."

"Seeing you determined is very encouraging to me," Caius cooed, lifting his hand to rub Saphira's cheek. "You'll make a very good queen, you might be new to it all, but taking it in your stride like this will provide a great foundation for you in the future."

Saphira fully appreciated the blonde vampire's encouragement and made her happy that she was impressing Caius with her new attitude. Aro and Marcus seemed more cautious about it at this time which Saphira didn't mind, but they will likely change their minds soon enough. When Caius and Marcus look straight away with deadly expressions, ones that made Saphira shudder a little and decided to put on one herself, even though she wasn't as convincing right now as she knew they were about to meet Zephyr. Alec opened a door into a huge chamber, in the middle was a five-layer piece with stairs going up all sides to the middle, at the top was a shirtless vampire with shoulder length, brown hair and tan skin, he appeared to be of African decent or perhaps Brazilian, she wasn't sure. He was in chains that were made from a source Saphira didn't even recognize, the metal was black and she could see from where the chains meet the roof Zephyr had been trying to free himself due to some damage in the walls. This was probably the only place where chains were able to restrain a vampire.

Zephyr saw the kings quickly and snarled venomously. "Finally, you return with your wrench to see to my punishment," He said venomously.

Aro growled and Saphira saw him tense as if he was about to attack. He walked forward menacingly and up the stairs. "Do not try to make your punishment like a joke!" He hissed, baring his teeth as he made his way towards Zephyr. "You are the one who revealed yourself to a human whom we had to kill."

"No different to you showing yourself to that human wrench!" The vampire hissed, pulling on the chains to try move closer to Aro, showing no fear or perhaps he was just foolish. "You should be punished like I am!"

Saphira growled under her breath, but said nothing. "You know as well as I that revealing ourselves to our mates are not the same as what you did," Aro said harshly, stopping just meters from Zephyr. He lifts a finger to point at the vampire's face. "Saphira will dare not to reveal anyone, she never did while she was in America and she is never going to. You insult your queen and you think you have the upper hand, you must be completely stupid Zephyr. Meeting you seven years ago and I thought you had potential, but you've wasted it!"

Zephyr growled and looked to Saphira. "She will never be my queen until she is ice cold," He snarled, looking back at Aro. "And you had better warn that bitch of how you will break her the night of your celebration!"

Aro snarled and struck the vampire across the face, his nail clawing into the cold flesh, causing the sound of shattering glass or concrete fill the air. He grabbed the vampire's face, pressing his fingers into Zephyr's cheeks. "You've made a big mistake Zephyr, and you will never see the light of day again."

Saphira was biting her lip watching this, it was scary and yet exhilarating at the same time for her. She was angry at the insults hurled at her, and yet she took it a little personal about his claim on what would happen the night of their celebration. It was a huge insult.

Zephyr hissed and snarled at Aro, knowing that he would not have an easy death. "You will not get me to admit respect to that bitch in the end."

"And you never will," Saphira said harshly, making Caius and Marcus look at her in surprise. Zephyr's eyes glanced to her while Aro remained squeezing his hand. "You want to call me a bitch and think you will get an easy death? Or do you think I would find sympathy for you in your desperate attempt to win the heart of a girl you caused her death to? This is not only justice for your crime, but for the life that could have been spared from your arrogance and stupidity. Jane…" Saphira looked to the blonde vampire who was smirking. "I hope you can turn it up a notch for him."

Jane's smirk widened devilishly, and she looked at Zephyr who was glaring daggers at Saphira, but could not speak due to Aro squeezing his jaw so much that it was broken. And as Zephyr had not been hunting recently, his eyes were black and healing was almost impossible. Aro stepped back before Zephyr cried and buckled in pain from Jane. It brought some pleasure to Saphira to see such an arrogant vampire be brought down, when Marcus and Caius walked away to grab two large sledgehammers with spiked tips, Saphira had to blink and wonder just how it would go. Aro walked over to her with a look that told her he was impressed with how she handled her response to Zephyr, but also seemed intent on blocking her view now.

As Marcus and Caius walked up to Zephyr to start swinging the weapons, Aro hugged Saphira suddenly. She huffed and pushed him off her. "Don't." She said sternly with a firm frown, Aro looked at her and stepped aside. He remained close knowing what would come next might just haunt Saphira.

Saphira didn't want to flinch, but she did when Caius struck first. The sickening sound of Zephyr's back shattering and the sight of dead skin and flesh caused her to wince slightly. Jane stopped her pain ability as Zephyr would now receive pain from the kings. Saphira's hands twitched as she wanted to do the same, even though she was somewhat afraid of what she was seeing. Part of her was taking her role exceptionally, but the human side of her was making her want to just run and cry in a corner. That didn't stop Saphira making a comment though.

"His tongue and mouth should be ripped out, that way he's cleansed of his evil remarks," Saphira muttered to herself.

The vampires all heard her, Marcus was hesitant which seemed to make Zephyr smirk until Caius pulled the vampire's mouth open, ripping out the tongue and pulling off the lips. The sight made Saphira shudder and stumble back. Aro's arms wrapped around her from behind, and Saphira only just realized she was shaking. She breathed deeply to compose herself, telling herself she can get through this. There is no blood, and that dead body particles are not hard to see, at least that is what she was repeating to herself in her mind.

"We did warn you," Aro whispered in her ear.

Saphira looked at him before frowning and looking away. "I need to see this through," She said bluntly. "Don't try to make me leave."

"But you're shaking," Aro whispered in a more worried tone.

"And I'll have a bath, and then some hot chocolate to calm down," Saphira responded irritably. "There is no point in trying to negotiate with me Aro, I'm staying where I am."

Aro was a little taken back, as being spoken in this manner usually resulted in a punishment, but he couldn't harm Saphira and knew she would follow through with her words. He remained in his spoke with his arms around her however. By this time, Zephyr's back had been butchered open and the vampire was still alive. He was groaning in pain and the vampires lower their hammers.

"Zephyr, before we end your existence, know that your life has been no more than a dust particle in the air," Caius said sternly. "A tiny spec no one will remember or has ever notice, even as a human no one paid attention to you. The vampire who transformed you wasted his venom, and you are no more than a mere parasite among our existence. No plea for mercy will change your sentence."

Zephyr growled, still trying to look confident despite the pain written over his face. Saphira wanted to be the one to kill the vampire, but Aro moved from behind her and she felt Marcus take his place as Aro walked up the stairs. Jane used her ability again and Zephyr was again crying and groaning loudly in pain, his knees finally collapsing underneath him making Aro smile.

"Ah, despite your words before, you are showing the rightful respect to your queen," Aro mocked, grabbing the decapitated jaws of the vampire. "It seems you will be bowing before your human queen after all. And after this, your body will be no more then the dust on the earth, an insignificant spec floating around."

Saphira winced as she heard the sound of squeaking as Aro split the man's head apart, she heard Zephyr's final cry before Aro dropped his body. He gestured to Felix and Demetri and they quickly ran up the stairs to remove the body to burn it.

Saphira sighed deeply in relief, it was over and she got to experience a first of many executions. She swallowed and looked at Aro as he walked over to her and kneeled before her.

He held her hands gently with a smile. "I am proud of you," He said gently. "You stood up to Zephyr, putting him back in his place despite his arrogance. Oh, il mio amore, you are trembling so much though. I can't even tell if it's fear, shock or adrenaline."

Saphira didn't know either, it was hard to tell. "Thanks Aro, I guess I am just unsure of how to respond to such a scene," She said softly.

"If any happen in the near future, we'd suggest to not come until you've overcome this one," Marcus purred into her ear gently. "You already have enough nightmares."

Saphira smiled, feeling very protected by the kings and sighed deeply. "I would like to retire to my room please," She said softly. "I'd rather not stay here for too much longer."

"Yes, of course," Marcus said, moving his arms off Saphira to take her hand. "Let's go."

Saphira smiled before stumbling under her shaky legs. Aro and Caius made a move to catch her, and Saphira was able to witness the moment the two kings bump their heads with a loud clonk sound. It was so unexpected and their irritated looks to each other made Saphira erupt into laughter. Caius and Aro look at Saphira as Marcus picked her up while the two silently scowled each other. Marcus himself was smirking, but was glad that something happened to break the mood. Even if Saphira laughed until she was crying and her stomach hurt.

"Holy shit! Never in my days would I find that so funny," Saphira said as she coughed and caught her breath while Marcus walked with her through the hallway.

"I'm glad we amused you," Aro smiled, Saphira could see he was still irritated which made her giggle some more. "But please do breathe amore, laughing can be deadly."

Saphira nodded and began to calm down, wiping away the happy tears that had rolled down her cheeks. Despite the laughter, getting the images out of her mind would be difficult and Saphira knew that. But, for now she would soon find herself in her new room. Saphira was looking forward to this while still being carried in Marcus's arms.

 **Translation:**

 **Amore: Love**

 **Cigno: Swan**

 **Nobildonna: milady**

 **il mio amore: my love**


	25. Chapter 25

Being carried to her room, Saphira was finally able to calm down from her fit of laughter and she felt the weight of what she had just witnessed. Despite being able to hold it all together, she still felt the fear from it. It would pass, that much she knew, but for now she had to calm her mind. And while she did this, she paid little attention to the hallways the kings took as Marcus carried her to her room. She did take notice of the huge, wooden, double doors that two vampires she didn't recognize open for them. She looked at them curiously.

"Good evening my queen," The brown, haired female vampire addressed politely with a bow. "I am Chelsea. I apologize that I didn't accompany Jane, Alec, Demetri and Felix to meet you, but I can assure you it is a pleasure to meet you now. I am part of the guard here, and it's my duty to ensure that anyone who joins us are content with their new family."

Saphira smiled. "Pleasure to meet you, and…is that an ability you have?" She asked curiously with a raised eyebrow. "I hope that isn't needed for me."

"It is a gift of mine and trust that you do not need to feel it's affects, my queen," She responds with a smirk. "You have enough trust and love for the kings that you do not need to be forced to be content."

Saphira nods before looking at the dark-haired vampire. He bows respectfully. "It is also a pleasure to meet you, my queen, I am Afton," He said calmly, glancing at the kings who seemed to ignore him. "I am Chelsea's mate. I am not really part of the guard however, I'm just glad to be here with the woman I love."

Saphira smiled at him. "You have no quarrel with me Afton, I hope it's still a pleasant stay for you," She said before glancing up at Marcus. "Shall we proceed? Or are there other members I have to meet?"

"Tomorrow you will see them," Marcus said, kissing Saphira's forehead before walking forward again.

Saphira was now focused on her room, and her mouthed dropped as soon as she saw it. Her room was twice the size of her old bedroom, the tiles were all polished marble and she was certain there was real gold etched into the tiles due to the leaf pattern on the tiles. The bed frame is made of mahogany, it is a king-sized bed and sat in the middle of the room. Draping from the overhead frames of the bed was soft, white curtains and Saphira loved the rose gold and rose-pink flower, leaf patterned quilt. She didn't need to check to know they were of excellent quality. There were several black sofas facing a flat screen TV on the wall and several recliners facing an unlit fireplace. There were several chests of drawers around the room, also made of mahogany, with varies objects on top of them. Including more Swarovski figurines, like Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh, and many bouquets of roses in vases of different sizes around the room. Saphira had to wriggle herself out of Marcus's arms to look around. There were rugs on the floor, made of pure silk and was super soft that when she stood on them, she felt like she was on clouds. She so she had her own balcony and a computer set up which made her smile, she was sure to not be bored at all. Even if she noticed several bookshelves, and one had a large amount of board games on them ready to be used. There was a small dining set up, and Saphira also noticed a bar fridge as well. There was a full shelf of perfumes and Saphira finally noticed the archways into her walk-in rode and bathroom. She checked out the bathroom first to find an in ground bath tub, it was larger than her bed and was equipped with jets for an ultimate relaxing spa. The bath also had a frame over with it curtains to help create an illusion of seclusion. The bathroom itself was smaller than her bedroom, it did have a shower at the far end of it. It was large and could fit herself and the kings, there was also the general amenities with a large mirror, vanity, lotions and facial creams. There was also a draw full of make up tools and removers which she was happy with. The toilet was also a little fancy with a silver seat and lid, even though Saphira felt she wouldn't have cared since the toilet was just a toilet. The towels were Egyptian towels and super soft, and she couldn't wait to wrap herself in them. She was curious about her wardrobe, but decided to check it later.

"I…feel treated like a queen," Saphira comments in disbelief. "I still think I'm dreaming."

She feels arms hug her from behind, and Saphira knew who it was. She was becoming familiar with their scents and she also recognized Aro's rings on his fingers. "I'm glad you love it amore," He said gently, rubbing her cheeks gently his thumb. "I sense your state is much calmer."

"Allow me to run the bath, my queen," Jane offers, walking passed them to start filling the bath and added lavender scented bubbles.

The scent hits Saphira's nostrils, and she suddenly felt very hot with desire. She feels Aro shudder against her, he feels this too. He gently turns her head and she feels his lips kiss the corner of her mouth. She turned to try and kiss him properly, but he avoids her. She looked at him with a frown.

"Why do you avoid kissing me properly?" Saphira demands softly. "Marcus and Caius have, I don't understand."

Aro pulls away, he knows Saphira was hurt, but he had his reasons and smiled. "I'm saving it for a special day," He cooed sweetly. "Amore mio, troverai il mio bacio abbastanza presto."

Saphira pouts and folds her arms. "I get it, saving it for the ceremony…" She grumbled, moving her weight onto each foot while swaying her body.

"Il mio amore, all this stress today has made you tense," Aro cooed gently, moving closer to her. "We will bring you something nice while you bathe."

Saphira was about to suggest for them to join her, but she realized that if Aro was avoiding kissing her until the ceremony, it made sense that the kings were all waiting until then to become intimate with her. But she couldn't shake her desires, her senses between her legs quivered with impatience and pain, she would just have to wait. The kings were looking at her with desire too, but they had to leave.

"Very well…will you still wish me good night?" Saphira asked softly. "It's strange to have to rest after flying a lot way and still feel tired."

"I bet it is strange," Marcus chuckled softly as he glanced to Jane who had turned off the water and walked away from the steam rising from the tub. "We don't want you to feel abandoned tonight."

Chelsea suddenly clears her throat. "I hate to interrupt my kings, but Athenodora and Sulpicia are demanding your attention," She announced calmly.

Saphira frowned as the kings suddenly become nervous. She looked at them suspiciously as Caius turned to face Chelsea. "You could not have waited?" He asked coldly.

"I'm sorry sire, they insisted," She bows her head slightly.

"Um…who are they?" Saphira asked curiously, which got her a sad look from Aro. Her frowns deepen. "Aro…please, I don't want anything hidden from me at the start. Are they lovers for you or something like that?" Aro glanced away when she said her last sentence and Saphira had her answer. She became angry. "And you failed to tell me that you already had mates?!"

"NO! It's not like that," Marcus replied firmly, walking closer and grabbing Saphira's arms gently. "I'm sorry you had to find out about this now, we were going to tell you tomorrow. But yes, we have had lovers for a long time and they were potentially going to become queens." Saphira's eyes filled with tears, but they do not fall. She remains silent so he could continue. "However, we never bonded with them like we did when we first met, and they knew this. Aro…partly why he doesn't want to kiss you yet, is so you know about Athenodora and Sulpicia first. We all feel shame for having them knowing we would have found you eventually. I am sorry il mio amore, but trust me when I say we truly love you. We had kicked them from the castle after we met you, and they have been returning and demanding ever since."

This certainly wasn't the right now for her to know about this, but…Saphira could sense their honesty. But the shame from Aro was completely open, she could feel it and his face was almost like a mask. Saphira blinked her tears away as they had not fallen as she accepted the explanation. But, she felt the need to protect her mates from these vampires now, and looked Marcus in the eye.

"Thank you for telling me Marcus," She said calmly, the kings were clearly surprised and relieved by her response. "I guess I should have expected that you had lovers before me…and I don't blame you. And now that they are kicked from the castle, tell them that if they continue to push their desires onto you, they receive the same punishment Zephyr got tonight and perhaps death." Aro looked shocked by this, as he didn't want to harm them. But Saphira's word held merit and the kings had to listen to her. "I know you care about them…but they are a threat. I sense they are jealous of me and that is dangerous, I do not want them to exist in Volterra, or Italy. They must leave and never come back unless they are reporting a crime. It's my duty to protect you from such women as well."

Marcus smiled and sighed deeply, he accepted this immediately. Caius and Aro were hesitant. Marcus hugs Saphira, comforting her and encouraging her with her duties. "I will ensure that these orders are carried through Saphira," He reassures her. "It is high time they look for their real mates instead of seeking a crown on their head. They would never have made good queens like you're proving today." Saphira smile returns and Marcus pulls back, looking at the other kings. "And my brothers, you know it is true."

They both nod and Aro smiles sadly at Saphira. "I'm terribly…"

"It's okay Aro," Saphira interrupts, she walked over to him and hugged him tightly. "You have my support…I know it'll be hard, but it's necessary."

"I know…I guess I didn't expect it to get out of hand," He admits with a chuckle. After a minute of holding Saphira in his arms, he pulls back and kisses her forehead. "We'd better not leave the girls waiting too long."

Saphira smiled and the kings leave with a gentle clap from the door as they closed it. Jane remained as she had gone into the wardrobe and brought out something for her to wear. Saphira widened her eyes as she saw it was a single piece lingerie that exposed her stomach, the straps connecting the panties and bra were noticeable. But at least she could pull the panties down when she needed to use the bathroom. It was gold with black lacing and a light long, sleeve top to go over.

"I hope you'll enjoy these, this is your sleepwear now," Jane said as she placed it on the vanity then grabbed a mat from a linen closet to place in front of the steps of the bath.

Saphira giggled. "I think I will…can you get me a hot chocolate?" She requests gently. "I don't know how long the kings will be, so can you get it?"

"Of course, my queen, but note they will be disappointed," Jane teased before leaving her alone.

Saphira chuckled to herself as she undressed, placed her clothes into a straw hamper and carefully stepped into the bath. She moaned as the foam of the bubbles made her feel like she was in a cocoon. She carefully lowered her body down and slipped most of her body under the water except her head. It felt like heaven! Her desires were still there, and she couldn't help but close her eyes, thinking about what was to come and didn't have time to even think about the heavenly cocoon around her. She reaches down between her legs, gasping with pleasure as she envisions the kings kissing her every inch, biting down on her pleasure points and making her feel beautiful and loved. She would let go and let the kings take the lead, after all she was a virgin and they would be the ones to take it. And she couldn't be happier with that idea. She knew Marcus would be the gentle one and Caius wild, Aro could just be in between the two and bring pleasures to her that she never though possible. Letting out a moan, Saphira felt a shock of pleasure through her core, now wondering if her little day dream distracted the kings from their meeting. She giggled to herself, knowing the kings would behave. She would sense if they were giving into their desires for their former lovers. Saphira's doubt about it was there, but she couldn't be angry at them at all. She knew they would remain faithful to her, and her alone. No vampire mate will stray unlike humans. And that sense of security alone gave her trust for the kings.

"My queen," Jane's voice startles Saphira from her thoughts. "I apologize, but I have returned with your request."

Saphira smiled as she looked at the China mug in Jane's hands. She sits up slightly and takes it from the vampire. "Thank you, Jane," She said softly as she takes a sip. "Mmm, Italian hot chocolate is the best. I dessert al cioccolato suonano alla grande alla cerimonia."

"I will make sure that there will be," Jane said with a smile. "I'm technically your maid of honour, caterer, make up artist, hair stylist and tailor all in one."  
"Which I thoroughly appreciate," Saphira chuckled softly. "Only a few more days…"

"And you're already struggling to keep your desires away," Jane teased, Saphira's bewildered expression made her laugh. "Sorry, but we vampires have very keen senses. It's not very hidden, and you're driving the kings mad from it. They may fall upon you while you sleep."

That idea actually sounded good to her. "I wouldn't mind being their Sleeping Beauty," Saphira chuckled softly.

"I don't doubt that," Jane said as she grabbed a bottle of shampoo and conditioner. "Allow me so you can just relax."

"Thank you."

Jane dampens her hair and they both were silent as Saphira was still in thought, which Jane could sense from the expression and respected as well. Though luckily they were not negative thoughts, Saphira was not thinking of what happened with Zephyr right now, but rather thinking of the ceremony and new worries that started to enter her mind. Even though she shouldn't be worried, she had no part in the planning of this event and she had no idea what dress she would be wearing. But she was nervous on how the vampire community would view her. The ceremony would have vampires from around the world meeting her, she somewhat hoped the Cullens would be there as a surprise for her, and she hoped she would make a first good impression.

"All done," Jane announced after rinsing Saphira's hair. "You think so much that the time just flew by."

"It certainly did," Saphira chuckled softly. "I guess I'll stay here for a few more minutes before getting out."

The vampire nods and stood before curtsying. "I shall take my leave."  
"And leave the curtsying out please," Saphira called after Jane just as she leaves quickly.

She hears a chuckle before the door clicks gently. Silence. Saphira was tempted to turn the jets on, but decided not to. She enjoyed the bubbles alone and cupped a few to blow. Luckily, she didn't make a mess from it. She soon pulls the plug to get out of the bath and dries herself. She could sense anger and frustration from the kings, which made her worried. She wondered if she should join them, but that could result in Athenodora and Sulpicia attacking her. Saphira hoped they would not cause trouble in the future. Saphira dries her hair with a hair dryer she found and brushes out any annoying tangles. She then makes her way to the bed and as she pulled the covers back, the doors opened.

She glanced over her shoulder to see Marcus enter alone. She was surprised and turned her body to face him. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes, Aro and Caius needed to go hunting after that," He smiled as her. His eyes trail down her body, taking in her curves and shape slowly, causing Saphira to blush and pulls the top tight over her chest. "They do wish you a good night's sleep. You'll see all of us in the morning to introduce you to the last of the guard and a tour of the castle."

Saphira grinned as she climbed into the softest bed she's ever laid on, with the silkiest sheets and quit ever. "That sounds wonderful," Saphira said as she moved to pull the covers over her.

Marcus suddenly takes them from her hands as he had moved around to the other side and climbed underneath with her. "I'll stay with you if you like."

Saphira chuckled softly, breathing in his soft, crisp, vanilla scent and running her fingers through his hair. "That would be lovely Marcus," She said as he pulls the blanket over them.

She shudders feeling his hand glide over her side and she couldn't help but slide her right hand under his shirt. She could feel his strong, firm abs, his cold skin was smooth, hairless and it made her shudder from the contact.

"Sleep now il mio amore," Marcus purrs gently into her ear. "You need rest."

 _But I want you now!_

But Saphira obeyed and pulled her hand away before curling up against him. His cool body helped to keep her temperature regulated as she closed her eyes, feeling his gentle hands rub her back. Making her forget the horror of today, and fall into a beautiful dream of their future together.

 **Translation:**

 **Amore: love**

 **Amore mio, troverai il mio bacio abbastanza presto: My love, you will find my kiss soon enough**

 **Il mio amore: My love**

 **I dessert al cioccolato suonano alla grande alla cerimonia: Chocolate desserts sound great at the ceremony**


	26. Chapter 26

When Saphira woke up, she felt like she had been sleeping for days. Her dreams were full of romance and beauty with her mates, and she couldn't wait to fulfil them all. Even if some of those dreams included her being a vampire, which she had not yet made a decision on. She stretched her body and discovered Marcus was not next to her. Still with her eyes closed, she stretched her arm out and felt around. Nothing. She opened her eyes slightly with a frown to see no one was in the room. She wondered when Marcus left. Perhaps there was an important issue to attend to and she wasn't aware of it. Still, she felt disappointed to wake up alone. She enjoyed feeling his strong, cold body against her, and she already missed it. She yawned and stretched her arms again, feeling the soft cocoon tucked around her, not caring on what time it was as she no longer felt the weariness of jet lag at this time. She heard a gentle knock on the door and before she said anything, it opened and all three kings walked in with Aro carrying a tray of breakfast. Saphira rubbed her eyes, smirking with a tired groan escaping her lips. She than figured Marcus left her bed to help prepare breakfast for her, and the scent she already picked up made her stomach growl almost instantly.

"Buongiorno amore mio," Aro said sweetly as he placed the tray on the side table. "How did you sleep?"

Saphira stretched her arms and sat up with Aro gently moving the pillows so she'd be more comfortable. "I felt like I was sleeping for days."

The vampires chuckle as Aro moved the tray over Saphira's legs. She looked at the tray seeing she had a traditional Italian breakfast, which had a hot, latte, a bread roll with jam and butter on the side, and fette biscottate which was like a biscuity bread. She was happy there was some sliced apple on the side as well.

"This looks very good, I remember having this and how delicious it is when I travelled through Italy," Saphira said as she gently picks up the mug and lifts it to her lips, blowing at the steam.

"We are pleased to hear that il mio amore," Caius said with a proud smile, watching Saphira sip her coffee. "We all understand that after yesterday that waking up to some relaxation is good. We can't wait to show you around the castle and where you'll be able to find good relaxation."

Saphira swallowed her mouthful of coffee thoughtfully. "At the moment, I guess there is a pool and spa for me to get a massage at…even though I only have to ask one of you to give me one." She giggled softly as she placed the mug onto the tray and picked up her knife to butter the bread roll.

"You are right with those two things, il mio amore, but we also have renovated part of the castle just for you to use," Marcus said gently. "Even if you become a vampire, I am sure you would find enjoyment of these areas."

Saphira was certainly curious, even though she never actually expected them to do so much just for her. It made her feel very special for sure, but it certainly was not expected by any means. She knew she would have to meet the rest of the guard as well, she didn't know how many more she would meet, though she did suspect it was not too many as it seemed only certain vampires with unique gifts could become part of the guard. And she didn't know how Aro would even find them, or convince them to join them, though she figured she would certainly find out eventually.

"Seems like you went to a lot of trouble just for me," Saphira said softly. "Your company is all I ever need."

Aro smile softened and he leaned over to kiss her cheek. "I know, il mio amore, but as we won't always be by your side every second of every day, it is good to know you have your own space," He said gently.

Saphira looked at him gratefully before biting into her bread roll after buttering it and spreading jam onto it. It was a very good bread roll, she had been on cruises before and the bread was always very good and this one was better, so she certainly was going to love her bread while living in Volterra.

"I'd say by the look on your face the bread is good," Caius chuckled softly.

A gentle knock is heard before Jane enters to see the kings around the bed with Saphira eating her breakfast. "Good morning sires," She said politely. "I was just wondering when you plan on introducing Saphira to the rest of the guard, they're eager to meet her."

"After she's had her breakfast and dressed," Marcus replied. "But thank you for letting us know."

Jane smiled and looked at Saphira. "Would you like me to pick out an outfit for you today Saphira?"

Saphira chewed on the piece of bread in her mouth and swallowed. "As long as it's comfortable, then yes you can Jane," She smiled. "I hope wearing gowns isn't an expected thing except for special occasions."

"I'm pretty sure you would kill us if you have to wearing them all day, every day and then you'd stay in your pyjamas to make a point," Caius said with a teasing smile.

"And you're absolutely right," Saphira giggled softly. Jane was already standing in front of her with a knee, length, frill white skirt and blue tank top. "That is more my style, thanks Jane." She nods and placed them down before grabbing a bra out for Saphira and left to inform the rest of the vampires. Saphira looked at Aro. "I assume though, there is specific attire I have to wear whenever I am called to the throne room."

Aro nods affirmatively. "Yes, but they are no gown dresses, in fact they are long dresses," He said. "They looked a bit like what we wear all the time. Black, gold and red with our V symbol. Though there are different styles for different seasons, although I will say the castle can get very cold during winter."

"It snows here doesn't it?" Saphira asked curiously.

"Yes, it does, but I assure you we can keep you warm during those cooler months," Aro reassured her. "Maybe not body warmth, but we have that nice fire place and a furnace we can even ignite to keep the entire castle warm for you."

She giggled softly. "I am very used to snow, but thank you for your concern. The cold isn't a concern of mine."

"We are aware il mio amore, we also want you to know how we can keep you comfortable," Marcus said with a smile.

Saphira did indeed appreciate that the kings were willing to take time and effort to make her comfortable. She had no idea how they would behave when she gets sick, but she was sure they will stay by her side until she gets better. Saphira ate her whole breakfast and was feeling incredibly full. She got up to use the bathroom before returning to get into the outfit Jane had picked out for her. Out of habit, Saphira got changed in the bathroom, though the kings didn't stop her and respected her need for privacy. She brushed her hair and put in a waterfall braid as she felt like she had to be presentable, even if the kings would assure her that whatever she does would be decent enough.

Once done, she put on some sandals and looked herself in the mirror. She smiled as she looked pretty and twirled around in front of the mirror. She skipped over to the kings and hugged Aro suddenly, surprising him but hugged her in response knowing she was thankful for everything so far and was happy.

"I'm pleased to see you are happy il mio amore," Aro cooed gently. "It makes us happy."

Saphira looked up at him, resting her chin on his chest. "And I can't think of a better place to be right now…except for Disney World…but that's a different kind of happy place."

"If you ever want to go there, we would let you," Marcus said, surprising Saphira. "Even though we would rather you stay here, we do understand the human need for a holiday. And we would let you go so you can be happy."

"Wow…wow, that is…wow," Saphira said in disbelief. "You guys are really amazing. Is this something you discussed?"

Caius nods. "Yes, you are the queen and shouldn't be forced to stay here if you feel the need to get out. And we understand it. Originally, we were not too keen on it, but Carlisle has told us it is good for you to get out every once in a while, and we have agreed to allow you to go on a holiday."

Saphira knew she was the luckiest person in the world. The kings acted like her lovers, brothers and even parents, and it was more then she could ever want.

"Thank you," Saphira said before pulling away from Aro. "I think it's time I met the rest of the guard. Best not to keep them waiting."

The kings nod in agreement and led the way. Saphira looked between them, deciding which mate she would take a hand of. Once they walked through the door, she took Caius's hand, deciding she hasn't given him as much attention for a little while as she had been giving Aro and Marcus. He looked at her with a pleased expression, and she hoped maybe he could serenade her with one of his violin pieces sometime today as well.

"While we lead you to the throne room to meet them, it would be good to try and remember the hallways," Caius said softly. "It can be a bit of a maze. But once you know your way around, it will be like the back of your hand."

"I'll keep that in mind, I have a talent of remembering my direction simply by remembering a landmark or something I see visually," Saphira said proudly. "It's something I've always had."

"Which is a good thing," Aro said softly. "As you can see though, the way to the throne room from your room is straight forward."

Saphira did notice when passing the windows, the glass was foggy glass, so even though the light of the sun came through their skin did not glitter. She knew it was on purpose, but she did notice different picture patterns in them which was nice to see as well. The walls had drapes on them, each seemed to represent the Volturi in some way with their dark colours, but Saphira did like them. She did see the hallway they had walked from when dealing with the issue the night before and another hallway to her left which she would likely find out about sometime today. The double doors that opened up to the throne room were huge and made from dark, polished oak wood. Saphira gasped when she saw the throne room, it was huge and she looked up seeing the chandelier and the glass windows around them. There were three thrones sitting at the top of the stairs, and a fourth one sitting between them. The kings' thrones were black and had a tall back to it. Hers was not black, in fact it was white with silver and gold patterns on it. She had to get closer to see doves and leaf patterns on it. There were white diamonds at the top of her tall seat and the seat itself had a very comfortable, silky, pillow. Saphira couldn't help but walk away from Caius and take a seat. It was surprisingly comfortable and the back even had a cushion, it was a bit tall and her feet were off the ground, but she loved it.

"This is nice," Saphira said with a smile.

"I'm glad you like it, although…" Aro rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

She looked at him curiously. "Am I not supposed to sit here?"

"Yes…but your meant to sit the first time during the celebration." Saphira was certainly surprised, and wondered why they just didn't wait until the celebration to bring it out.

She ended up laughing and getting up from the throne. "Your traditions are hilarious. And that was your fault for not warning me, but as you're the only ones who saw that, lets pretend the first time is the celebration."

"Sounds like a good idea," Caius chuckled softly. "And she's right."

"Very well," Aro chuckled before calling out. "Jane, Alec, bring them in."

Saphira stood close to the kings as the tall doors at the end of the room opened, and she was greeted by Jane, Alec and Chelsea, along with a dark, long, blonde hair, pale skin vampire, a light brown hair vampire, a dark skin, dread hair vampire, black haired vampire and a brunette vampire, they were all happy to see Saphira and she was right about the fact there wasn't too many more to meet.

"My queen, allow me to introduce Corin, Heidi, Mele, Renata and Santiago," Jane said loudly, gesturing to the vampires who bowed respectfully. "They are the rest of the guard who will protect you with their lives."

"It's a pleasure to meet you all," Saphira said gently. "Santiago, I guess you're a strong fighter like Felix?"

Santiago looked surprised when she addressed him, but as he was the last male to be introduced to Saphira she quickly knew who he was. "I am my queen, however I am not as skilled as Felix, but I am certainly a strong warrior for the guard."

"That is nice to know," Saphira chuckled softly.  
"I'm Heidi," The brunette walked forward with a bright smile. "I'm here as part of the guard to fish for the Volturi's meals. I don't do it all the time, but my ability can attract human and vampire alike, but I shall alert you when this occurs so you do not have to witness our feeding."

"Thank you, Heidi," Aro said politely. "We also will inform you Saphira as we always know when she's fishing."

Saphira smiled slightly, even though it she still had to get her head around the fact this room was where the feedings also take place. "And I am your kings' personal protector, Renata at your service," The black-haired vampire walked forward. Saphira rose an eyebrow at what she meant. "My ability is a powerful shield that can repel attackers away from the kings. Please note that I will also be your protector, I already have a mate outside the castle."

"That's good to know, what kind of shield though?" Saphira asked curiously.

"My ability is basically to repel physical attacks, I can't repel ability attacks like Alec's or Jane's, but it is very useful," Renata explained with a smile. "I feel it might be more useful to you, my queen, as you are the most fragile amongst us."

Saphira nods in agreement before looking at the last two women. "I'm Corin," The blonde vampire said politely. "My ability is known as addictive contentment, which means I can make anyone happy with their situation. I used to keep Sulpicia company for a while until she and Athenodora were kicked out. At this time, I do not know where my ability will lay."

"We will find something for you Corin, your ability is useful to me still," Aro reassured her. "And finally, Mele."

She curtsies again. "It's a pleasure to meet you, my queen, my ability is probably the most useful to Aro," She said softly. "I can absorb powers from another vampire and transfer them. It may come in useful for very powerful abilities, and Caius is waiting for me to find one for him."

Saphira looked at him. "You feel a little odd without one?"

"Well…yes," Caius said with a nod. "Being a good fighter is one thing, but Marcus and Aro have abilities and I would like one."

"It wouldn't bother me if you did or didn't il mio amore," Saphira reassured him. She looked at the guard. "Thank you for introducing yourselves to me, I look forward to getting know all of you. Right now, the kings are giving me a personal tour of the castle. You may be dismissed."

The vampires chuckle and bow. Caius takes Saphira's hand and leads her to the door they led her through before to go to the hallway she had seen but not yet gone down. She could not wait to see what else was in the castle.

 **Translation:**

 **Buongiorno amore mio: Good morning my love**

 **il mio amore: my love**


	27. Chapter 27

Saphira was very excited as she walked down the hallway. There were a number of doors left and right so she was extremely curious. However, Aro had said they would start at the very end and make their way back, which seemed like an odd plan to Saphira in case the very end had the best part, but she had no problem with it at all. Considering she was happy just to be with them anyway. Caius still held her hand as they walked down the hallway. Saphira did wonder, as the vampires were used to moving quickly, if it was slightly frustrating to walk at her pace all the time. Even if the vampires tolerated it simply because she was their mate, it might still frustrate them a little bit.

"I'm curious, dolce colomba, what you think we have here for you," Caius said softly, looking at her with a smile.

Saphira looked at him with a thoughtful smile. "A pool, garden, library and…I guess theatre room are the only things I have thought of so far," She said softly. "I have not expected you to make huge changes to the castle just for me."

"In honesty il mio amore, there have been many parts of the castle that has not have a purpose in years," Aro said gently. "Before we met you, we were literally banging our heads on what to do with these empty rooms. And honestly, your bedroom is all brand new, it used to be empty. The main area we even spent time in was the throne room and the main library."

"So, me coming to the castle has made it all the more worth while until I become a vampire?" Saphira asked curiously.

Caius nods. "That is pretty much how it will be."

She giggled and shook her head. It was so amusing to Saphira as the vampires seem to have rather boring lives, but as they aren't human their enjoyment was completely different to hers. However, she hoped with these new additions to the castle they may find they have use for them after all. At least she hoped so.

When reaching the end of the hallway, Saphira was met with a sandy coloured, wooden double door before Aro and Marcus opened them for her. Saphira gasped as she saw she was right about the pool. It wasn't a huge pool, but it was big enough for her to do laps in. It also had shallow edges around the main pool to wallow in and seats the were low enough to have water at the bottom to relax in with a table next to four seats to hold drinks. There were glass dove figurines around the pool and there was one spa underneath a triangular hut overlooking a huge garden. Saphira realized this was on the side of the castle humans could not look into, and the garden was well maintained. There was a bar, but Saphira wouldn't have to use it as the kings had the guard learn how to make different cocktails, mocktails and martinis for Saphira to enjoy. The pool's flooring had small, dark blue, red, green and purple tiles that shaped a flying swan. All these small details were of what the kings call her, and were obviously there to remind Saphira. She glanced to her left and saw a short walk way into a glassed garden with a peacock topiary, a topiary shaped into four figures, which she quickly saw was her and the kings and a giant chess with a canape to the sit with comfortable seating overlooking the main garden.

"What do you think?" Caius asked in an uncertain tone.

A tone which surprised Saphira as she looked at him curiously. "I love it Caius," She responds happily. "Is this all new too?"

"Yes it is," He smiled, which she noticed was in relief.

"I hope you also make use of this space, this isn't just for me," Saphira said, looking at her three mates one at a time. "I know you made it for me to relax and enjoy, but I see it for us too. And I want it to be our space."

Aro nods slowly with a smile growing on his face. "I am glad you feel that way, however the main garden we avoid in case people see our appearance. But under the full moon, there is another surprise in the garden we want to show you. But for now, I am glad you love this."

Saphira giggled and knew she had to come back later to make use of it. "I look forward to it Aro."

He nods and turns to head back through the doors. "Shall we continue?"

Saphira nods excitedly. "Of course," She said, grabbing Caius's hand with her other hand and pulled him along. "Let's not dally."

Caius chuckled as he wasn't expecting her to grab him as she did, but it was a cute moment to him that he couldn't help but move in response to her. The other two chuckle as well. Feeling how excited and loved her mate felt made them feel as thought they have done the right thing. Once Aro and Marcus closed the doors behind Saphira and Caius, they move to a door on the right and opened it. Inside was a changing room with slippers and robes, a mirror with hairdryers, brushes and combs available, along with hair lotions and skin lotions. Saphira confused for a moment, but there was another door at the end.

"Keep going, this isn't the whole surprise yet," Aro said with a smile. "I have a feeling you will love this more than the pool outside."

That piqued her curiosity as Aro opened the door and allowed her through. Saphira was surprised by the sudden change in air due to the humidity of the room they had entered. One the left of her was a table with empty water jugs and a fridge full of empty glasses, which made her curious and on her left was a shelf full of towels and a fridge full of wet, cold towels. Saphira hummed and walked forward down a short hallway and gasped when she looked to her right. She walked through the doorway and saw a hydrotherapy pool, it was not on, but it was definitely heated. She smiled and saw several heated beds and there were doors that went into different saunas. A hammam, caldarium and laconium, the vampires had definitely done their research into these unique saunas and steam rooms so they could bring these into the castle. There were also several sensory showers, tropical rain, cool mist, Siberian shower and rain shower and several more which Saphira can make use of.  
"Wow! I…I have only seen this on a cruise ship," Saphira said in disbelief. "This is amazing! A great place to relax after a stressful event in the throne room. I can't believe you actually did this."

The kings chuckle, glad to have pleased their mate with this. "There are also scrubs you can use here, though if you go into the saunas, they are best used in there," Aro said softly. "At least, that is what I have researched. We know Elemis products are the best as well, so there are those available in the change room."

Saphira looked at him with a smile. "Elemis? That's such an expensive product, but I am glad. You really did not have to do this for me you know. I am just happy to be here."

Caius kisses her cheek gently. "We know, but we also know humans need somewhere to escape. And this is one of the places, and we will ensure the right ambience music is playing to make you feel like you're far away. I sense you might come here today or, tomorrow right?"

Saphira smiled at him. "It's amazing what you have done in such a short time, and yes…I may make use of it frequently. After all, my own therapeutic area…no one else really has that unless they're rich."

The kings chuckle softly. "Well, sadly we have to drag you out of here and show you the rest," Caius said sweetly, gently pulling Saphira away. "The water jugs here we will fill sometime. It will be fruit infused water though, we think strawberry and lemon will be okay."

"That is perfectly fine with me," Saphira said enthusiastically as they walk out of the area. "I guess enclave is the perfect name for it."

"Sure, but that's up to you," Marcus chuckled.

"Ooh! I know!" Saphira said, before coughing as she thought of a name. "Vampire therapies…there, I said it."

The kings laughed heartily as they walk back into the hallway. "How suitable," Aro comments, walking to a door on the left. "And you were right about a theatre room."

He opened the door and Saphira peered in. It was definitely a theatre room with a huge screen, a small area where she can get popcorn and drinks for herself. But she noticed the seats were round and had many pillows on them along with a light blanket and table to put her food and drinks on. Now that was a luxurious cinema.

"Nice, I can watch movies in style now," Saphira said enthusiastically.

She turned away to keep walking. A few more feet and another door on the left was the next one to open. Saphira decided she wanted to open it, even though having them open them for her was nice too. She ran from Caius's grasp and opened the door, surprised to see a full gymnasium with the latest equipment. This was good as Saphira did want to stay fit as she knew the food here can be too good and putting on the weight was possible. So she was happy with that, so she closed the door with a smile.

"I'm glad you thought of this for me," She said softly.

"Do be aware we would love you no matter your size, but we felt you would appreciate this here," Aro said gently.

"Oh I'd definitely believe you, but I also got to look the part, after all a fat queen doesn't look very appealing, and more trouble may occur if I don't stay in check," Saphira said softly. She turned on her heel quickly. "Next room!"

She skipped down the hallway with the kings before her to the next door on the right. She opened it and gasped, feeling like Belle from Beauty and the Beast as she saw a large library. She knew it wasn't the main library as everything was new, there was plenty of comfortable seating, tables and lights for her, there were ladders and everything was labelled for her so she knew which source she would be reading from. But there was a lot of books.

"I hope this isn't all daunting for you, but I hope you like it," Caius said gently, peering over her shoulder looking at the room. "There are books in there about vampire law, and we hope you will read them to familiarize yourself with them. But don't worry, there are plenty of fiction stories in there so you won't go crazy. We are not a school, so study can be as casual as you want. But we will definitely encourage you to get familiar as quick as possible so you can appear to be a firm queen il mio amore."

Saphira looked at him with a smile. "I will read them, don't worry, I guess I wasn't expecting this many books. Does that mean the main library has the same books?"

"Yes and no," Aro rubbed his neck with a smile. "A lot of the books here had been translated from those books, as the language written in the books of the main library is quite old and you'd struggle to understand them. You're free to try and read them Saphira, but you'll probably get frustrated and uninterested quickly."

Saphira was surprised and shrugged, closing the door to the library. "Thanks for letting me know, but what kind of languages are the books in the main library?"

"Old English, old Italian, Hebrew and old Greek," Aro responds. "I am from Greece, so I wrote most of the law in Greek and it's the old dialect of the language and as I don't know if you know Greek, I know you wouldn't understand it. Even the Italian might be similar to modern Italian, you may not understand it as well."

"I understand," Saphira said as she walked along the hallway. "I feel like you couldn't possibly have more surprises now."

There were two more rooms, but she wasn't sure what would be in them. But she would check anyway. The next one was the last room on the right and it was just a room for where Saphira can get massages done, it also had sensory showers and change room for Saphira, and obviously had Elemis products available. And the last room on the left was a music room, which stood out to Saphira more as each of her mates had some talent in music. And there were pianos, violins, cellos, flutes, harps and many more instruments Saphira would be able to learn and play. She did have a grand piano in her bedroom, but that she knew was for Marcus to serenade her with. Everything was great and Saphira loved it.

"So, do you think we can keep you happy and occupied now?" Aro asked proudly as they walked towards her room.

"Of course, now I want to get changed into some swimwear and go make use of the pool," Saphira said happily.

"And I think we might join you," Marcus purred, making Saphira shudder at the tone of his voice. "After all, we also have to…"

"I'm sorry to interrupt your majesties," Jane's voice cuts Marcus off, making him growl in annoyance. "But we have a visitor. He needs to speak to all of you, except Saphira as he has no quarrel with her."

"Why does he need their presence?" Saphira asked curiously.

"He is a regular visitor, not to worry Saphira, he likes to drop in and make odd demands or give random ideas for our laws," Jane explained with a smile. "He won't be here long. He never has anything worthy of considering."

Saphira sighed deeply. "Alright, go deal with this vampire. I shall meet you at the pool, e possiamo stare insieme, da soli," She said sweetly, giving the kings a seductive eye.

They smile and nod before leaving suddenly. Saphira chuckled and entered her room to change into a swim suit. She picks a pink and gold bikini set, feeling the need to show some skin and put on a robe as the hallway was cool to make her way to pool area. She was excited to spend sometime with the kings in a simple way, and she wanted to make every moment count.

 **Translation:**

 **Dolce colomba: sweet dove**

 **il mio amore: my love**

 **e possiamo stare insieme, da soli: and we can be together alone**


	28. Chapter 28

And simple, quality times with the kings is exactly what Saphira got over three days. Every morning, she would wake up with their presence, tray of traditional Italian breakfast and spending as much as they can. Saphira found she enjoyed spending the most time with them in the library. While she loved going to the pool, drinking a cocktail and speaking with them, she much preferred the library. She knew to become a proper queen; she would need to become knowledgeable of the laws. The kings were always with her, helping her understand something if she uncertain and sometimes even suggesting a little different law for the modern day, as some vampire laws were a little outdated and needed refreshing. Unlike the vampire who kept showing up to give ideas for the laws, Saphira had more valid ones and she impressed the whole guard for how naturally understanding she was about their nature. It was no doubt she was indeed born to be the queen. Saphira did often take breaks though, as she often delved into fantasy books, she found herself reading the Lord of the Rings to pass the time. Oddly enough, she did compare the kings to some of the characters in the story. They thought it was amusing, but Saphira did indeed compare them because Lord of the Rings was a favourite story of hers, and to her surprise, Marcus himself enjoyed the books and even the movies. But they never got around to watching movies, Saphira barely got onto her computer to check social media and it seemed she almost would forget to text the Cullens to tell them about her day. Little did she know, the kings wanted that as there were surprises coming to the celebration, she would be unaware of until then.

But on the evening before the eve of the celebration, the kings informed Saphira they wouldn't be together. Saphira was surprised by this, but it was explained to her it was a day for her to get ready and be pampered. Chelsea, Jane and Renata have volunteered to do that with Saphira for the day, so she was to expect manicures, pedicures, full body care and of course, trying on the dresses to pick the right one. The kings thought there was only one, but Jane knew Saphira would want to pick, so she will have multiple choices. Even though Saphira would want to wake up to Aro, Caius and Marcus that morning, she was excited at the thought of being pampered. She knew the day after would also be busy, and she suspected the day of the celebration she wouldn't see the kings either. She thought of the term 'it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding' because that certainly seems that way. Renata, even though she would be involved with giving Saphira the pampering, was likely staying with her in case something was to happen. She normally protects the kings, mainly Aro, but an attack on the castle could happen and Saphira was very vulnerable to vampires and Renata could repel an attack from her. When she fell asleep knowing that was to happen to her, she noticed the giddy, excited and even nervous feelings from the kings, which made her smile as that meant the event was going to be huge.

"Good morning Saphira!" Jane's songful voice startles Saphira and blinding light hits her eyes. "It's time to get up!"

Saphira groaned and raised her hand, glancing at the time. "Jane…it's nine thirty in the morning," Saphira said, yawning loudly. "This is hardly the time to be getting up for a manicure."

"Oh, don't be silly!" The vampire snaps playfully, walking over to pull the covers off. "Come on, get up, Chelsea will bring you some breakfast, but you need to change into something light."

Saphira grumbled, rubbing her eyes as she sat up with messy hair, looking at Jane grumpily. "A plain on grey dress then? Will that do?"

"It sure will," Jane said, disappearing and reappearing with the dress in question and a bra. "Here, now don't dally."

Saphira didn't know if she should be grumpy or happy now, she was indeed looking forward to the pampering, but she didn't like being woken up this way. She figured she would let it slide, so she got undressed while Jane was in the bathroom gathering some things for Saphira. Saphira did glance in the mirror for any sign of blemishes, luckily there wasn't any, but you could never be too careful. The doors open, which Saphira frowned from no knocking only to see Chelsea walk in with Renata. Chelsea had brought a trolley in with food, which was different as Saphira didn't think they had that and began to set the table.

"Good morning, my queen," Chelsea said politely. "I apologizing for the lack of knocking, but we have a big day ahead of us. I hope you are looking forward to it."

"I am indeed," Saphira said, walking over to the table and sunk in a chair, slumping a little.

"You look like you want to go back to sleep," Renata observed, she had a basket on her arm that held different lotions and salon products.

Saphira smiled slightly. "That is probably because I do."

Jane walked back in with a brush, Saphira thought she'd have hair products with her, but that wasn't the plan right now. "But you are up now, once breakfast is done, we will take you to the salon room," She said softly. "We will start with a facial, we don't want you to end up with a pimple tomorrow."

"I am sure make up will hide it anyway," Saphira said with a smile while filling her plate. "But I did check in the mirror while I dressed and, ow!" She winced as Jane had started brushing her hair and snagged a knot. "Jane, human hands please."

"Sorry," Jane giggled. "Oh yeah! We have to discuss what kind of style you want for your hair tomorrow, we'll do some practices today as well."

"When I pick the right dress, I'll be able to tell you that," Saphira said with a smile. "Curious, how many dresses do I have to pick from? I remember thinking I'd only have to worry about trying on one dress."

"You have five to choose from," Renata responds gently. "Each with a slightly different style. But you also have a different outfit, the first outfit you'll wear will be mainly for the first dance, coronation and declaration of your commitment, then you'll be able to change into a more comfortable dancing outfit. But as well know you might not wear a dress, you'll have a lot of choices for that."

"It's nice to know I won't have to wear the gown the whole time," Saphira comments. "And probably something I may not care about if it gets ripped."

"Ripped?" Chelsea frowned.

Jane glanced at her with a grin. "By the kings…you know," She said in a sweet song, teasing voice.

"Oh!" The brown hair vampire exclaimed. "How naïve of me."

Saphira, Renata and Jane giggled in unison, amused by Chelsea's thought process right now. Saphira soon finished her plate and was ready to be led to the salon to get pampered.

And so she did, Saphira spent the first half of the day in the salon getting treatments. She not only got facial, but her whole body got a treatment as well, even though Saphira well and truly enjoyed it. She thought of the kings, she felt their presence even if they were not with her. They never left the castle, but she thought of them. She hoped that the fragrances used in the treatments from her skin would remain so they could breathe in that beautiful scent, no doubt her appearance was attractive, but with a different approach she knows they will love being near her with an irresistible perfume. At the same time, Saphira was thinking of the hairstyle she wanted, she figured as her dress will be the main feature that will draw the attention, she only needed a simple hairstyle. Beautiful, but simple, and no one could ever go wrong with a waterfall braid. Once the treatments were done in the salon, it was time to check out the dresses. Saphira had no idea what shoes and accessories that awaited for her to wear as well, but she was excited. The girls had managed to hide the dresses in the wardrobe in special closets just for them to stay fresh, unruffled and clean, so Saphira had to wait for them to bring the dresses out while keeping her back turned to the wardrobe, even if she was tempted to peak. But Renata stayed to make sure she didn't peak.

"I can hear you wheeling them out," Saphira said with a smile. "This suspense is getting a bit too much!"

Renata chuckled as she rubbed Saphira's shoulders. "Patience, my queen, two more dresses and you will get to see them," She reassured her gently. "The shoes and accessories will come afterwards. Know that we do not have crowns or tiaras as you won't need them tomorrow night."

"I suspect that I will be given one, by the way I haven't asked how the celebration actually goes," Saphira said, looking up at the woman. "I have been able to dance, but I suspect there's kind of a routine right?"

"Kind of, but as you'll be the only queen the kings are somewhat inclined to be casual about it," Renata explained. "If you wish to know, the guests will arrive at four tomorrow evening and will greet the kings. If you had become a vampire by now, you could greet them thirty minutes later for the blood toast, but as you are not I recommend waiting until five thirty. During that time we can do touch ups to your makeup and hair, and ensure the dress is fitting properly and the shoes are comfortable. When you arrive, you are free to choose how you enter, whether you curtsy or not and you'll have the opportunity to meet all the guests from around the world. Sometime after all the greeting, the kings will bring you to the thrones and go through a speech to the guests and allow you to make your vows before you will be seated on the throne for the first time. That could happen from six-thirty to seven-thirty, who knows. And of course, when that is done, the kings will then confess their love, vows and commitment to you as their mate, as you will to them and the first dance shall begin." Renata glanced up as Jane and Chelsea brought the last dresses in. She looked back down to Saphira. "As Aro is the head of the Volturi, you'll be expected to dance with him first, as I am sure you are aware. Anyway, I believe small amounts of food will be brought to you along with wine if you wish. After the first dance, the ball room with then dance with you and the kings, and then you'll be free to get changed. The ceremony doesn't end until midnight, so it's very wise to wear something more comfortable and airy then the gowns here."

Saphira was extremely happy to know how the ceremony was going to happen. She did hope the vows to their love would be made before her declaration to the throne, but she didn't come up with the ceremony. And she honestly couldn't help but just go with it this time.

"I am even more excited…and nervous now," Saphira said, giggling nervously and rubbing her hands together. She paused, raising an eyebrow. "May I please look at the gowns now? I know they're all out here."

"You may Saphira," Jane said excitedly. "I may let you in on a secret, they're all Disney inspired, as we know you love the movies and no doubt the outfits in them."

Saphira shrugged as she turned around. "Maybe Belle's dress at least, Cinderella yes too, but not all," She said before her eyes saw the first dress.

When she did see them, her eyes widened and she gasps very loudly. The gowns in front of her, were definitely made for a princess, or in this case, a queen. The gowns were all slightly different in length and volume of the skirt of the dresses. They were definitely custom made, and had a simple, yet elegant touch to them. The first dress Saphira laid eyes on was obviously the Volturi colour, the main body of the dress was black with gold at the trim of the skirt of the dress, there were golden rose and leaf petal patterns along with white diamonds woven into the fabric of the dress, a large ruby sat in the heart of the corset of the dress, surrounded with a golden V and emeralds aligning the breast cups of the dress. It was beautiful, but it wasn't for her this time. The second dress was a periwinkle blue dress with white around the skirt of the dress and royal blue, fabric roses woven into the bottom of the skirt and around the hips of the corset. Along the front, shoulders and back of the dress was a soft, frilly design with more roses and butterflies with white diamonds sitting in the centre of the flowers. It was a simpler design, but the actual flare of the skirt was larger than the black dress. It was beautiful, it was definitely more Saphira's style and she may choose that one. But of course, she had three more to choose from. The third dress was purple, it had a smaller skirt of the dress and there were white and violet fabric roses woven into the skirt with leaf petals, tanzanite and white diamonds were woven into the centre of these flowers and on the leaves, and even along the bottom of the skirt. More violet and white roses were along the front of the dress, but it was strapless and had a V shape to the back which would touch just above Saphira's bottom. Roses, that was the theme on four of the five dresses. Saphira guessed it was due to how she reconnected with them, with a bouquet of roses, and the crystal Beauty and the Beast rose Aro had gifted to her. Even though the kings did not see these designs, she knew she would pick a dress with roses on it. The fourth dress was silver, with power-blue colour in the bottom of the skirt with white and sky-blue snowflakes woven into the skirt, look down they appear to turn into roses at the bottom with blue diamonds. Saphira did wonder how much they spent on the gemstones along, but she wasn't about to ask. There were more snowflakes on the corset and at the hip was a short, white, frilly skirt over the top of the bottom skirt, looking almost like a cloud. There were some diamonds along the front of the corset, and Saphira knew this might represent the day she said goodbye to her parents. It snowed that day too, and she brought roses to place on their gravestones. The final dress was a gorgeous, eye catching rose gold dress, it had a bigger skirt again to the blue dress and there were no roses on the skirt this time. But there was tiny emeralds and crystals which gave the dress an almost iridescent shine to it. The corset though did indeed have roses, roses around the hip were red and white, small crystal roses along the breast rim of the corset and frilly, golden, rose petal shoulder sleeves, it was incredibly beautiful.

"I am going to have a hard time picking…but I am going to say, sadly, that black dress won't look good on me," Saphira said sweetly. "I may have black hair, but black has never suited my complexion."

"I understand," Jane said softly. "But perhaps you'll wearing it for maybe proceedings in the throne room? It's a more serious gown than the others."

"I think that is a good idea, the others I hope to wear even after tonight too," Saphira said as she moved closer to touch them.

The fabric was so soft and she could tell it would be very comfortable for her. She figured she should try all four of the dresses on before she would make a decision. The shoes for each dress were custom too, ironically, the blue dress was matched with slippers that looked like glass slippers, but they were not. But they did have crystal roses on them. The purple dress had a dark purple, flat should with tanzanite gems shaping roses on them, the silver dress had slippers with heels that had crystal flower petals down the heel and along the sides of the heel to the centre where a blue rose was. And the rose gold dress shoes had a similar design to the silver dress, but they were a little higher and instead of a single rose, there were three roses on each shoe. For the blue dress, she had the choice of white diamond, blue diamond, aquamarine and blue sapphire accessories, the purple dress she had tanzanite and white diamond pieces, the silver sapphire pieces and rose gold emerald, ruby and chocolate diamond pieces. It was incredibly hard to choose, but Saphira got to try them on. The vampires then shoe the hair pins they could put into her hair that also had gemstones on them. Saphira though it was too much, but they insisted she would be wearing them in her hair. She certainly will be shining like a diamond tomorrow evening, and Saphira was looking forward to it.

 **No Italian used this chapter, but the next big event is about to happen. Hope you're looking forward to it. Be warned, lemon scenes will be starting either from the next chapter, or the following chapter. What dress would you pick? You'll find out Saphira's choice in the next chapter.**


	29. Chapter 29

It was the day of the ceremony, and the castle is a buzz with excitement. Saphira didn't have the same awakening as she did the day before, but as she was excited and nervous about it she ended up waking up at seven and decided to use the enclave to help calm herself. It was a good idea, as when she used the caldarium sauna, Jane had come in with a special scrub to apply to her skin and in the sauna, it actually helped to rub it in while her body relaxed in the heated. She spent several hours in the enclave before getting out to have her hair treated, that was the only thing she did not have the day before. But she was told to bathe first as the hydrotherapy pool and sensory showers did have some chemicals in them that was good for her skin, but not hair so she had to rinse that out first. But Saphira did use a body lotion as well for added aroma to her skin. Then she was able to have her hair done. She had settled on the waterfall braid as the hairstyle from tonight, she always loved the simple, elegant styles over the big statement hairstyles, and it matched the dresses perfectly. She did wish to see one of the kings before the ceremony, but she knew they were getting ready too, even if they were going to be wearing their royal robes and didn't need to prepare as much as she did. Once her hair had been finished with the treatment, she got it blow dried and Saphira was able to put on the dress. She had picked the rose gold dress as to her, it was the most beautiful and the colour also would be a shout out to the crystal rose Aro had bought her, along with the other roses. She would wear emerald and white diamond earrings, and a love, emerald and white diamond statement necklace, but that was the last thing to put on. Renata, Chelsea and Jane had her put on the dress and slippers to practice the dance in the dress, as the slippers may make it a little more difficult and they wanted to make sure the dress wouldn't hinder her movement. Luckily, it did not, but Saphira appreciated the practice as she was sure she may forget the dance moves. But the kings will not let her fail and probably help her if needed, she did promise herself she will not rely on them during the dance.

Saphira felt a little odd wearing earplugs as Jane applied the makeup, it was the afternoon and was ten passed five. She had told Jane that she would like her makeup to be mostly natural, but to make her eyes pop. That was easy with the right eyeshadow and mascara so Jane was happy to do that. Saphira knew the kings and vampires were likely still having their feast, so it's why Jane had her wear the earplugs. Before she applied the lipstick, she motioned to Saphira that she could take them out. She did and placed them to the side before perking her lips for Jane to apply the red lipstick easily.

"There, all finished!" Jane exclaimed, placing the lid on the lipstick in satisfaction. "You look amazing! Look in the mirror."

Saphira turned around and smiled seeing her face was glowing, she just had the right amount of blush to her cheeks and she expected herself to blush naturally through the vows and dancing, and probably shine through the makeup. Jane had applied a little gold eyeshadow with rose pink around her eyes with mascara and eyeliner, making her emerald eyes seem brighter than before.

"You did a fabulous job Jane," Saphira said sweetly. "I look amazing."

"Indeed…my queen," Jane said as she grabbed a box full of the hair pins. Her hair was already braided, the pins just had no been put in yet. "What gemstones do you think would go with your hair?"

"Emeralds…and see if yellow diamonds would suit better than white ones," Saphira said thoughtfully. "I'd like to see them mostly along the braid on my fringe to create a somewhat tiara shape."

"As you wish," Jane said as she picked them out carefully. "And then a few of them through the braid around the back too?"

"Yes, and why did you call me my queen? You know I'm happy with just Saphira," Saphira questioned curiously, watching Jane carefully put the pins into her hair.

"That's because tonight, you'll officially be coronated as queen, so I feel I should start call you as such," Jane responds honestly.

"Understandable, but we aren't there yet either," Saphira teased with a smirk.

"I know…I guess I thought it would be appropriate now," Jane said with a shrug. "Sorry Saphira."

The girl just laughed. "You vampires can really be so amusing. I'm glad you entertain me easily."

"And we are pleased to do that Saphira," Jane said, glancing to Renata who was standing by the door waiting with her arms behind her back. "Can you get the necklace and earrings Renata? It's almost time for Saphira to make her way to the throne room."

Renata glanced to Jane before nodding. "Of course," She said, moving quickly to get the boxes and over to Saphira. "You look stunning Saphira, those yellow diamonds are quite subtle and go well with those emeralds in your hair."

"Thank you, and yes that is what I was thinking," Saphira agreed, looking in the mirror as Renata lifted the necklace. The gemstones were shaped into water drops and created a triangular shape, the metal is white gold, even though it could be mistaken as silver. The earrings were almost water drop shape. "I think if I had gone with white diamonds, maybe they would be too bold. But I definitely don't need them, the dress is sparkling enough as it is."

"Indeed, my queen," Renata said, gently clipping the necklace and then grabbing out the earrings.

Saphira sighed, she did tell Renata to just call her Saphira, but it seemed as Renata was the bodyguard to the kings and now her, she definitely felt it was more appropriate for her to respond to Saphira royally. That didn't bother Saphira too much, she understood where Renata was coming from. When Jane finished, she grabbed the other earring as Renata gently slipped the clip through the piercing.

"Would you want any perfume Saphira?" Jane asked softly.

"Um…yes, one that has a rose scent," Saphira answered.

As Renata had finished with the earring, she slipped into the bathroom and grabbed the right perfume. Jane finished and Saphira grabbed the bottle to spray over her, breathing deeply at the beautiful, subtle rose aroma.

"I'm ready," Saphira said as she placed the bottle on the bench in front of her. "I admit, I'm a little nervous. I hope the other vampires will accept me."

"They have no choice in that matter," Renata reassured Saphira, holding her hand for Saphira to take. "We'll be beside you; no one has ever had the courage to stand up to me or Jane. And that isn't going to change for you."

Saphira nods, took her hand and stood up. She was ready to face the throne room, and she was thoroughly excited for it.

Walking down the hallway, Saphira felt like she was indeed a bride ready to walk down the aisle of her wedding. And in a sense, she was a bride. Just a bride for a different kind of wedding in her mind. She had no one to give her away through, but she did imagine her parents by her side and that gave her comfort. Upon reaching the door to the throne room, Saphira could hear the beautiful music from inside. It was definitely royal, romantic music and it made her heart flutter with joy to hear it. Jane gently knocked on the door, it opened slightly with Demetri and Afton at the door. Jane told them Saphira was there and they close the door. The music stops as Demetri makes the announcement.

"Ladies and gentlemen, here is the moment you all have been waiting for," Demetri said in a loud, bold voice. "The woman who stole the hearts of our kings, left a dent in the bumper of our limousine and the rose who has brought something to the castle that makes everybody smile. Please welcome our queen, queen Saphira!"

There was an applause, Jane and Renata walked forward as the doors open slowly and Saphira walked in, almost gliding as a big smile was on her face. The crowd stopped their applause when they saw her, her dress barely touching the ground glittered from the light of the chandeliers on the ceiling. And she saw them, they were standing on the stairs to the thrones, their eyes were bulging as they saw their mate in a beautiful dress that embodied the flowers that had represented their love for so long. Saphira breathed out as she seemed to forget to breathed and gave a low, graceful curtsy before standing straight and glancing at the different faces looking at her. She held onto her dress as she walked forward, carefully gliding forward and her eyes spotted a familiar face. It was Carlisle and Esme! Saphira couldn't contain her surprise as they took a step towards her.

"Isn't this such a surprise," Saphira said teasingly. She glanced around. "You came without your family?"

"Only the head of each clan may come with their mate I'm afraid," Carlisle said, taking Saphira's hand gently. "You look so lovely Saphira. I'm glad you are our queen."

"Thank you," Saphira said, turning to Esme who gave her a hug. Esme was wearing a lovely, white, strapless dress herself. "You look great too Esme."

"Oh, but you have stolen everyone's soul tonight," Esme said with a chuckle. She stepped back, and Saphira noticed another vampire couple with bronze eyes. "Saphira, may we introduce Eleazar, he's a former member of the Volturi guard and his wife Carmen."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Saphira said, looking at them with a smile. "I guess you consider yourselves to be like cousins due to your choice of blood?"

Eleazar chuckled. "Indeed, we do, and I'll be honest, it's a much more peaceful lifestyle," He said softly. "Maybe you'll be able to ensure I don't get forced to use my gift by the kings."

Saphira frowned slightly. "I'm sorry…I don't know your story," She said softly. "Maybe tell me later, I have to meet the others."

He bows politely as Saphira walked through the throne room, meeting many vampires from around the world. Apart from Carlisle, Eleazar and their wives, they all seemed to feed on human blood. Saphira didn't worry about that, but she did think about her possible future if she chooses to become a vampire. Everybody was so nice, but there were a few vampires she noted to not be as respectful and made sure to give the kings a glance to keep an eye on those vampires, which they gave a subtle nod to her. Renata and Jane walked with Saphira, their presence ensured that nothing would happen to her and they were giving an intimidating presence so that certainly helped protect her. Time passed quickly, as she didn't even see Aro walk down the steps towards her. But when he gently grabbed her hand, Saphira knew it was him and looked at him with a smile.

"It's time for your coronation, il mio amore," He said gently. "I know you're having fun, but you have met everybody now." Saphira nods and followed him. "You look absolutely beautiful, that colour suits you."

Saphira felt her cheeks blush as she smiled dreamily, looking up at Marcus and Caius who winked at her, giving the same compliment to her about her dress. Saphira felt a bit more nervous, but Aro gently rubbed her hand with his thumb as they walked up the stairs to give her confidence they will not let her fail. She looked at the kings before Aro lets go of her hand and they turn to face the crowd.

"It is with great pleasure, that Caius, Marcus and I have found the queen to our coven," Aro spoke confidently, raising his hands with a smile on his face. "Her time with us has been short, but during that short time Saphira has proven understanding and tact that a real queen must show to ensure her leadership is fruitful. She has a great deal more patience then we do, and laws might be changed slightly to benefit the world we live in today by her input. But as all of you know, our most strict laws still apply and will not change." He turned to face Saphira. "Saphira, do you hereby and forevermore, declare your loyalty to the Volturi, and your commitment to uphold our laws and impose them on any vampire who break those laws with appropriate punishments?"

Saphira smiled confidently. "I do."

"Do you declare that the secrets of the vampire remain here whenever you venture out into the world among the humans?" Aro continued, making Saphira smirk at the vows.

"I do."

"And do you understand, as a vampire or human, by breaking your declaration today will be a violation to our laws and punishable by permanent disposal from the Volturi?"

Saphira was surprised by the question, it didn't say that by doing so was punishable by death, but it was definitely a nice way of putting it. "I completely understand," She said confidently, turning to the audience. "And before I sit on my throne, I declare that every decision I make will be for the good of our kind and to protect ourselves from humans, and to ensure that humans are also protected from us so that both can live in a sustainable world without the fear of fighting with each other. Especially with technically today."

Aro nods and faced the audience as Alec walked over holding a pillow that held a beautiful, gold crown with small roses and a V in the centre. Alec bowed and held out the pillow, Aro gently picked up the crown and Saphira gently kneeled before Aro.

"I now declare, from now and forevermore, Queen Saphira!" He said boldly, placing the crown upon Saphira's head.

It did not impede on the hairpins in her hair as the crown was made to go around her forehead. She smiled as she stood up, facing the audience who erupted in applaud. Aro gestured to her throne and Saphira nods before she and the kings sat in their throne, which the crowd on bowed at the same time. Saphira has never felt so confident in her life, she looked to Caius, Marcus and Aro who were proud of her. She couldn't wait to start her duties as queen, but tonight was for everyone.

Five minutes pass and the kings stood up again, making Saphira glanced to them. Then she remembered they would be declaring their love her, and hers to them. She was about to stand when Marcus gestured for her not to yet. She giggled a little as it was a little amusing to her.

"And now we reach the moment you have all wanted to hear," Caius said loudly. "Saphira not only is our queen today, she stole us the moment we met. A fiery young woman, who came to Italy for a break away from America at the hospital she worked in. It was fate that we would meet that day, but not in the way we had hoped."

Carlisle chuckled lightly, which even Saphira could hear as the crowd was silent. "The day we met, Felix here," Marcus gestured to Felix, who immediately became embarrassed and chuckling. "Almost ran into her when she was crossing the street. Oh boy did we get off on the wrong foot, but we could not have asked for a better mate. A young woman who is strong, and almost fearless when standing up to herself. It was that day we had to relearn how to approach humans, as she has yet to decide if being a vampire is in her future."

"And roses, would you believe, was our first way of reconnecting to her with help from Carlisle Cullen," Aro continued, gesturing for Carlisle and Esme to come forward. "If it were not for their help, Saphira may not be standing here today and we would be grieving over our loss of her. My brothers and I have never felt so wanting to be with someone in our how life. And I can tell you, Saphira has a heart of gold for everyone, and she will bring everyone good in our world." Carlisle and Esme reached the stairs, bowing to them respectfully. "And Carlisle, again we cannot thank you and your family enough for watching our for Saphira while also watching out for your own family. Especially during a time when Saphira's life was at risk not so very long ago, by a rogue vampire who created a newborn army to attack the Cullens. But Saphira is a fighter, and she sits here today, clothed in roses and I know she will not ever give in."

Saphira placed a hand on her chest, what they were saying was absolutely beautiful and she almost wanted to cry. But held the tears back, she didn't want to ruin her face with mascara running down her cheeks, but it will most certainly be hard.

The kings turned to face Saphira, Aro stepped forward to grab her hands and gently pull her out of the throne. He held her hands as he looked into her eyes. "Saphira, my eyes for you has never been strong for anyone in my life," He said lovingly. "You have made me happy, everyday is no longer a trudge to get through and the castle is much brighter since you have arrived. A light so strong, that I wish I was human again to have dinner and wine together." Saphira almost cried at that last sentence, because she wished she could do that with them too. He gently squeezed her hands as reassurance. "Saphira, sei l'amore della mia vita, una rosa così delicata e forte, che non posso chiedere di meglio. Ti amo."

Saphira smiled and opened her mouth to speak. But was cut off when Aro's lips landed on hers. Her eyes widened and a rush of warmth filled her chest, she smiled and accepted his kiss. She lets go of his hands to wrap her arms around his shoulders. Saphira knew her cheeks were red, but she didn't care. Aro moved his lips away, much to her disappointment. His smile didn't fade and she felt like she was still in a dream.

"And to you, il mio amore," Saphira said loudly, keeping her arms around his shoulders as she looked into his eyes. "I have never met a man who seems to have a reputation for being cruel and strong, but is gentle through his songful voice and music, the gifts you have given me is more then I could ever ask for. I still think I am living a dream, but like Cinderella said, a dream is a wish your heart makes and mine has seemed to have come true. Ti amo."

Aro leaned in to kiss her again, but this was shorter as Caius and Marcus would declare their love next and didn't want to keep her from them for too long. When their kiss finished, Aro gently moved away and Caius stepped forward, taking her hands gently.

"Oh, la mia rosa è così delicata e bella stasera, it is hard to believe that just a week ago, this castle had something missing," Caius began sweetly. "The time you were in America, it took my whole being just to keep me from just running across Europe and swim across the sea to be with you, protect you from the threat of the unborn army." Saphira giggled gently when he spoke of that. "You have no idea how impatient I was, but the moments we were able to speak to you over the phone and through Skype, they are precious to me. Hearing just your voice alone, makes me feel like the stone floors are clouds with stars around. It pleases me that I now can serenade you with my violin, and that you will be entranced with whatever piece I write for you. Oh Saphira… se solo avessi le ali, sei un angelo nelle nostre vite. Ti amo Saphira."

"Caius, your fingers are ever so gentle and your heart is calm, may your music remain as beautiful as you are to me," Saphira declared. "Ti amo. La tua musica è come una ninna nanna per me, and I will always cherish your music. Just as I cherish all of you the same."

Caius smile widened. "Il tuo cuore è troppo bello," He said with a chuckle before leaning in and kissing Saphira.

Saphira smiled against his kiss, she literally felt like the were the only ones in the room. Just her and the kings, no one else, the throne room was just their space. And their love bound them tightly to each other. Caius leaned away, gently brushing a finger over her ear, making Saphira shudder a little from the cold of his skin and just his touch alone. She turned around to face Marcus who gently reached out, grabbed his arms gently and running his hands down to her hands.

"Il mio amore, it is almost like you are a walking diamond tonight," He purrs sweetly. "A diamond amongst a beautiful sacred garden under the moonlight. The day we first met, I knew that you were not an easy woman to approach, even after we apologized for our driver. You showed great courage to not trust us straight away, but you allowed us into your heart and chip away the doubt you had about us. And it was for you, that I play the piano. When my fingers glide over the keys, I think of you, your delicate my and beautiful emeralds for eyes, the gifts I have made for you are from my heart. No one else can ever replace you. Oh, il mio amore, I look forward to our future. As we stand here, no one can ever tear us apart. If they dare, well…over our dead bodies." Saphira, the kings and crowd chuckle at his last comment. "Saphira, I may not be as musical as my brothers, but I love you seek beauty in other things aside from music and art. You are not materialistic, whenever I see you in your library and studying our world, it is clear to me you take your place seriously and want to make it as good as possible. Il tuo cuore non conosce limiti. Ti amo."

Saphira smiled as he leaned in to kiss her, but she placed a hand on his lips to stop him. "Il mio amore, my artist," She said sweetly. "I want you to know that you should not be discouraged by your choice of art, be it music or painting, I love you for who you are. I know you now can play the piano, but I would not have changed my mind about you if you had not done so. Ti amo Marcus, and ti amo each of you for you who you are, and who you choose to be."

Marcus's eyes softened at those words, if he could cry, he would be right now. Saphira hugged him as their lips touch, the crowd then erupt into a gentle applause, they were in awe of the lovers in front of them. Aro, Marcus and Caius were all elated and proud of Saphira. She could feel their love so strongly, she wanted to drag them out to the garden to be alone with them. But they had to dance now. The music began to play again and Saphira's lips part from Marcus's. She breathed deeply and looked at Aro and Caius before looking to Chelsea, gesturing for a glass of water.

"Are you okay?" Marcus asked, slightly concerned.

"Yes, just a little thirsty," Saphira said with a smile. "The dress is getting a bit warm."

"Ah, after our dance and the ball dance, you'll be able to change Saphira," Aro reassured her. "But we will ensure you stay hydrated until then."  
"Thank you," Saphira said as Chelsea walked over with a glass that had a straw in it. "A few minutes and we can dance."

"Agreed," Caius nods, gently rubbing Saphira's shoulders.

Saphira sipped the water and glanced at the ball room, everyone was talking again and Carlisle and Esme were looking at her with pride. She wished the rest of the family was there, but rules were rules and she wasn't going to complain about one family, as it wouldn't be fair to the rest of the vampires. She did wonder if they participated in the feast earlier, she doubts that, but she would ask sometime after the ceremony had ended. For now, Saphira sipped the water and Heidi brought over some small sandwiches, which Saphira refused for now as she didn't feel hungry and was eager to dance.

 **Translation:**

 **il mio amore: My love**

 **Sei l'amore della mia vita, una rosa così delicata e forte, che non posso chiedere di meglio: You are the love of my life, a rose so delicate and strong that I can't ask for better.**

 **Ti amo: I love you**

 **Oh, la mia rosa è così delicata e bella stasera: Oh, my rose so delicate and beautiful tonight**

 **se solo avessi le ali, sei un angelo nelle nostre vite: if only you had wings, you are an angel in our lives.**

 **La tua musica è come una ninna nanna per me: Your music is like a lullaby to me**

 **Il tuo cuore è troppo bello: Your heart is too beautiful**

 **Il tuo cuore non conosce limiti: Your heart knows no bounds.**


	30. Chapter 30

***Lemon scene in this chapter***

Holding his hand as they walk to the middle of the throne room, the audience seemed like they were not there to her. Aro, turned to her as they got ready to dance, holding her hands gently with a loving expression on his face. When the music began, Saphira and Aro started to dance at the exact same time. He kept reassuring her through their bond that she will be fine, but Saphira didn't feel the eyes of everyone on her at all, she felt they had been transported into another realm and the music was just a treat to dance to. Moving her hands, feet and body in sync with Aro, she felt so graceful and when he moved his hand to her hip, she shuddered slightly at his touch. She was sure the kings knew exactly how they made her feel no matter what they did near her, she loved them so much. And to think, it was only a couple months ago she doubted her feelings and doubted if she ever wanted to come to Italy. But it was definitely the best thing to ever happen to her, and she was going to take the entire thing in her stride. She felt the breeze against her legs as the dress moved gently around as they dance together, making their dance appear more elegant and romantic as their bodies move together. Aro, Caius and Marcus did wear capes during the coronation and declaration of love, but removed them just before Aro took her hand, she was a little jealous but at least she wouldn't be at risk of stepping on them, as they were long enough to drag on the ground. Aro himself looked so happy and in love with Saphira, he was reading her thoughts as they danced around the circle that the audience at formed for the kings and queen to dance in. He could see her thoughts was just on them, nothing was distracting her and she was dancing like she had been dancing for years, not even the beautiful romantic music wasn't even distracting her. She was entranced by the whole evening, and didn't even know what time it was. Saphira and Aro soon came to the last movement for them, gently moving in close and stealing a kiss before moving away, she spun around and ended in Caius's arms. They both immediately were dancing in time with the music, just as she and Aro had done before. Caius did wish he was able to read Saphira's thoughts like Aro could, that way every sweet thing could be heard to him. Their bond was the only thing he could use to know how she was feeling. Though sharing their thoughts might not be something their queen would enjoy, especially during the serious times and when the vampires feed. Luckily, that was never part of the vampire mate bond, and Caius simply had to accept it. Saphira herself had not considered that; she was happy as it is. Right now, her expression told Caius a lot even if he could not see her thoughts, and that was her eyes only saw them right now, and that gave him happiness that the eyes on her didn't intimidate her at all. It didn't take long for Caius and Saphira to reach the final dance move together before she would twirl into Marcus's arms. Saphira did wonder if the kings will end up playing something for her later, when things were more relaxed. She certainly would love that to happen, Aro playing a harp song, followed by Caius and last Marcus, all serenading her with a beautiful lullaby that she could fall asleep too. But tonight, it would keep her awake, watching them play their hearts out for her and the audience to hear. She was sure the vampires have never seen Aro, Caius and Marcus show such feelings, even for their past lovers. It was a good thing Athenodora and Sulpicia didn't show their presence tonight, for it would mean a death sentence to them and a ruined night for her and the kings. Plus, the entire audience from around the world would be upon them, at least they were smart enough to not do that.

Saphira and Marcus soon part from their dancing, and she was back in Aro's arms for the last little movement of it. Saphira's smile softened as they stop and she leaned in to kiss him then lay her head on his chest, hugging him tightly.

"Il mio amore, the dance for the night isn't quite finished," Aro said gently, rubbing Saphira's head and shoulders.

"I know Aro, but I wouldn't mind just waltzing now," Saphira said with a smile, not looking up at him as she enjoyed the closeness.

Her eyes did look to the crowd as they started to dance, they were dancing the exact same dance they had been.

"Saphira, il mio amore, if you wish to waltz we will grant it to you," Aro said gently, glancing up to Caius and Marcus who also heard Saphira's request. He looked back down. "I hope you're not feeling too tired or hot."

Saphira turned her head to look at him with a smile. "I feel both Aro, but I also strangely feel completely awake," She responds. "Do not worry, I'll stop when I get too hot and thirsty."

"As long as you don't faint on us, I trust you on your word," The vampire chuckled. "Straighten up so we can waltz properly."

"Mmm, okay," She replied, slightly disappointed. "I liked that though."

"I know," He smiled as Saphira straightened herself and they began to waltz straight away. "So did I, but I also want Caius and Marcus to enjoy their time with you. I'll feel like I'm hogging you otherwise."

"I think it would be the other way around, I would be hogging you," Saphira cheekily states, shaking her head playfully. "Because I'm sure later, you'll all want to hog me."

Aro shook his head and chuckled. "We'll talk about that later, we're probably a bit old fashioned for you, but you'll only be able to pick one of us tonight," He said gently, surprising Saphira. "It's mainly because you're still human, and the three of us in bed with you may not end as well with just one. I hope you can understand."

Saphira understood why, and nods affirmatively. At least she knew later she would fulfil some of her desires with one of the kings, and she looked forward to it. Saphira did finally take notice of the music, and noticed it was the tune of Tale as Old as Time with a medieval touch, making it seem more romantic to her and she loved it. Aro passed her to Caius again, Saphira gasped a little as she stumbled on her heels, luckily he held her so it wouldn't be noticeable too much.

"I'll have to get out of these heels soon," Saphira with a chuckle. "I'll get clumsier otherwise."

"Clumsy? Nah, you're just too happy and your thinking of us that you're not paying attention to your feet," Caius teased, getting a playful punch to the arm. "However, I do agree with you. This dance shouldn't be as long as the first one so you can go and change. The rest of the night will simply involve a bit of communicating with the other vampires, and us kings may play…"

"Please! I'd love to hear you play a song each," Saphira interrupts excitedly.

The blonde vampire smiled at her words, glancing at his brothers who nod with him. "Of course, il mio amore," He said, leaning in slightly. "Anything for you." He gently kisses her, making her smile and giggle against his lips.

He leaned away before passing Saphira to Marcus who kissed her first which Saphira was elated by. She did think to herself about how swollen her lips might be in the morning from all this kissing. She loved each kiss though, and was just happy they were officially together in front of the vampires.

"Your cheeks are very red," Marcus said with slight concern in his eyes. "You don't want to go to your room now and change?"

"I'm okay, I'm just blushing so hard," Saphira said, rubbing her cheek gently.

Marcus seemed a little unconvinced. "I hope so…I'd rather you didn't faint in my arms like that. However, I am glad that you are enjoying this evening. This whole this is for you, and we want you to enjoy it as much as you can."

"Thank you Marcus, I don't think I will ever have a day like this again, so it makes me happy that today will become a beautiful memory and dream that we share together," Saphira said sweetly.

"Luckily we do have some of the guard filming the ceremony so we can watch it anytime we like," Marcus said softly.

"Oh really? I didn't think you'd do that," Saphira said in surprise.  
"And why wouldn't we?" Marcus chuckled. "It's been so many years and this is our best of our lives as well Saphira. We want to be able to watch that memory when we want to. It won't include the blood feast, we knew you wouldn't want to see that at all. But everything else will be in it."

Saphira was super happy by this, and did wonder who was filming the ceremony. She figured she'd find out later after the ceremony was over, they'd like come forward and tell her anyway so Saphira was sure she wouldn't have to ask to find out.

The dance finally ended just after that, and Saphira gently bowed as she excused herself to the throne door. Jane and Renata met her there as she made her way back to her room. Jane gave her a glass of icy water and Saphira took it as she walked to her room with them in tow, drinking it and enjoying the coolness of the water. When they arrived, Jane and Renata helped her out of the gown, remove the necklace and reapply some perfume. Saphira then went into the wardrobe and put on a tight fitting, red dress and a pair of black, comfortable, flat shoes. She did wipe off some makeup after cooling her skin with a damp cloth, especially her legs as they were dripping in sweat when the gown came off. She checked the time, and saw it was ten thirty, which she was surprised but the time passed by ever so quickly that she didn't even notice. But she was satisfied and was able to eat some fruit before making her way back to the throne room. Upon entering the room, the kings were there to greet her before Aro took her hand and walked in. There was still music playing, but the kings wanted her to sit on her throne as they were going to keep their promise. When Saphira sat on her throne, Aro kissed her hand before moving away while Marcus and Caius sat on their thrones. Saphira watched Aro walk over to the stage where a beautiful, big harp stood. It looked brand new, as the frame had no sign of age or dirt on it. And when Aro starting to play the harp, Saphira was immediately entranced. She didn't slump and lean to the side in the throne, she was sitting straight and listening to the beautiful, gentle music coming from the harp as Aro pulled the strings. His eyes were closed with a smile on his face, his hands and fingers gently glide along the harp, creating a beautiful piece of music that Aro no doubt thought of Saphira when he came up with it. The tune did make Saphira's mind feel sleepy, but she did not let herself slip into slumber on the throne. That would be utterly embarrassing. She did hope Aro would sing to the tune he was playing, but this music didn't need words, she felt everything through the song alone and that was more then she could ever ask for. Even the audience was entrance by Aro's music that some had started to dance again. Carlisle and Esme had their arms around each other, and gently swaying to the music. Eleazar and Carmen also were waltzing and enjoying the music as well. She was sure they'd continue to dance when Caius and Marcus play their pieces. And they did, when Aro finished Caius played his song. The song Caius was playing was deep, mature and romantic, it was obvious he had thought of how much Saphira has grown in wisdom and confidence in her learning to become a vampire queen the vampires can look up to ever since she met the kings. And finally, Marcus's song was full of romance. It was as if Marcus came up with this song during their dance, because it almost felt like it as his fingers glide over the keys. Saphira imagined herself and the kings dancing again, it would be just them and Marcus's song playing in the room. She wondered if she could convince the kings to record themselves playing so they could replay and dance to it, she was sure they would do that as it would be very good.

When Marcus finished playing, Saphira saw it was twenty minutes until midnight on the clock. She couldn't help but be a little impatient as she was eager to be alone with the kings. Aro stood up and walked to her, leaning down to kiss her cheek as he sensed her impatience.

"Just one final speech Saphira, il mio amore" Aro reassured her gently. "Just to farewell our guests, and we can go to your room." Saphira nods as Aro walked forward raising hands to address the audience now with their attention on him again. "I'd like to thank everyone in this room for attending this once in a century ceremony. We know you have travelled far to come here, but it was well worth your time to meet the beautiful Saphira. It is our hope that you go home with full hearts, knowing that your queen will be a great leader to all of you, and if any of you have doubts about our queen, you will have to watch her learn and grow into someone who is wiser and firmer when decisions need to be made. I trust the rest of the night will treat you all well, and please do not make a mess for us to clean up after you as you pass through the human towns and cities. We'd like to keep tonight and tomorrow clean of crime making. Thank you."

The audience applaud before bowing to the kings as the doors are opened. Saphira smiled as she stood up to walk over to Carlisle, Esme, Eleazar and Carmen to say her farewells to them. They saw her coming and smiled as she walked over.

"It was such a pleasure being here tonight," Esme said as she hugged Saphira. "You were absolutely glowing with joy and love, I can absolutely tell that you and the kings have a tight bond."

"Thank you Esme, that means a lot to me," Saphira smiled. "I am pleased you also enjoyed yourselves. I suspect you weren't here for the feast?"

"No, we came in after," Eleazar responds gently. "The kings knew we would come in afterwards." He glanced to Aro who was walking over to them. "I think we should go Carmen."

"Wait a minute Eleazar," Aro said firmly, getting a curious glance from Saphira. "Before you leave, would you consider returning to the Volturi guard? My brothers and I could use your gift to help keep Saphira safe from harmful gifts to us."

Saphira looked at Eleazar curiously, not sure what Aro meant by his gift. Eleazar sighed and shook his head politely. "I'm sorry Aro, I know it is in your desire to keep Saphira safe," He said calmly. "However, I do not see my place here anymore. I will be okay returning here if a potentially dangerous vampire arrives and I can help determine his gifts for you so you can make the right punishment."

Aro was disappointed by the response, but he breathed deeply and smiled. "As you wish Eleazar, I shall hope to see you again," He said before walking away.

Saphira frowned a little and looked at them, before noticing Eleazar and Carmen walking away. "What was that?" She asked Carlisle curiously.

"Oh, Eleazar has a unique gift where he can detect the gifts in other vampires," He explained calmly. "He has been useful to Aro for a long time, but he is a very gentle soul and didn't want to stay here. After meeting Carmen, he made a request to leave the Volturi and Aro gave him his blessing. But only because he's still useful to Aro."

Saphira herself didn't think it strange that a vampire might want to leave the Volturi due to their different personality, and she hoped Aro wasn't thinking of forcing him. "Well…I think I'll just have to make sure his life remains peaceful," She said with a smile. "The kings might not like it, but if Eleazar enjoys his life a little more than he did here, I think he deserves it."

"You're too kind," Carlisle said before bowing. "Esme and I must take our leave and return to Forks, we have a plane leaving in a few hours."

Saphira smiled at him. "Thank you for coming again, I hope to see you again soon."

They smile and nod before turning to the door to leave. Saphira glanced around and saw everyone else had left. She chuckled a little as she didn't even notice they had gone before turning to the kings with a deep sigh.

"Are you ready for bed?" Aro asked in a deep, seductive tone.

Saphira shuddered in anticipation. "I have been for a couple hours."

The kings chuckle as they walked towards her room. Saphira still couldn't get over that she could only have one king at a time, even though she understood they simply didn't want to hurt her due to their strength. And she already knew which vampire will be the first. Still, she hoped maybe over time that may change, the more they had sex the more they would be able to keep themselves from hurting her. But she would have to wait and see.

"I hope you aren't disappointed that we all can't be there with you tonight," Caius said softly, he clearly had desire right now, but had to wait for tomorrow.

"A little, but Aro explained it to me a bit earlier," Saphira said, looking at him with a smile. "But I understand. You're stronger than me, and I'm a lot like a branch to you if not careful."

Caius smiled as they stop in front of her door and kissed her. "I'm glad that you understand, much to our disappointment as well," He said softly.

"And I guess watching would be too much as well," Saphira teased, nudging him with her elbow.

"Don't push it Saphira, you can feel our desires as much as we feel yours," Caius warned with a smirk. "You'll have all of us on you if you aren't careful."

Saphira giggled softly and winked at him. "Don't worry, I'm just teasing. Besides, I am…well, still…"

"We get it, you're a virgin and are honoured that we…I mean Aro gets to claim it," Marcus said, frowning slightly at the thought.

"It'd be easier if there was only one mate for each of you," Saphira chuckled softly. She hugged Marcus and Caius again, starting to feel weariness wash over her. "Ci vediamo domani mattina, amore mio."

"Buonanotte tesoro," Marcus cooed, kissing Saphira's cheek gently before moving away.

Saphira nods, looking to Aro who had the door open and was standing in her room. She breathed deeply and walked in, closing the door behind her and locking it, not wanting any unwanted visitors from the rest of the guard. She leaned on the door and smiled before Aro gently placed his hands either side of her, she didn't even blink before he had moved closer to her.

"Just remember, il mio amore, I'll be gentle," Aro promised, his voice deep and full of desire. "But if you feel any pain, we will stop immediately. I want tonight be as pleasurable for you as it is for me."

Saphira's heart felt like it would leap out of her chest, and she had to remember to breathe with him right in front of her. "I understand Aro, I want that for tonight as well," She said, breathing deeply.

Aro smiled before leaning in to kiss her, a passionate kiss that was delicate and strong at the same time. Saphira parts her lips and their tongues dance together, though the coldness of his tongue did keep her from exploring his mouth. He moved his lips to her cheek, kissing her skin as he moved down her neck, making Saphira shudder and a moan escaped her lips. He brushed over her thigh with his hand, lifting her dress as his fingers moved higher and closer to her panties. Saphira's hands brushed through his hair gently, feeling how silky and soft it was and then trailed her hands down to his chest, feeling the buttons of his outfit which she began to undo. Aro kissed the top of her cleavage before lifting his head to kiss her lips again. With his shirt undone and open, Saphira could see his strong abs, she ran her hand along them before Aro picked her up and carried her to the bed, she wrapped her legs around him in response to the sudden loss of the ground. She giggled as he sat her on the bed and fingered the zipper of her dress as their lips touch again before he began pulling it down. Saphira's body shuddered, despite his cold skin, she felt like she was fire and it felt incredibly good. The shoestring sleeves slipped down her shoulders as the dress is loose and Aro gently pulled them down, uncovering her breasts. Saphira had no desire to cover them anymore, she felt incredibly beautiful and moved to slip the shirt off his arms. Aro helped and dropped it on the floor. Saphira laid back on the bed with Aro kneeling over her with his legs either side, her knees were curled slightly and touching his rear as she looked at him with love and desire. He smiled and leaned down, pulling the dress further down, moving so he could slip it down her legs and off her feet freely. She was now completely naked, except for the red, lace panties covering her virgin pussy. Aro kissed Saphira passionately, her hands rubbed his chest as she could not get enough of his muscles, they felt incredibly strong and it made her feel protected. He moved his hands to unbuckle his pants, sending a jolt of excitement through her body. He moved his lips from hers and began moving down her body, kissing her whole being. Her nipples were firm to the touch and she closed her eyes as she hears Aro slide his pants of his legs. His hands rubbed her inner thigh, touching the rim of her panties before he gently and carefully pulled them off. Saphira bit her lip in anticipation, feeling his lips kiss her sensitive mound and rubbing the lips, making her moan loudly. His touch was so delicate and seductive that Saphira thought no human could ever give her this pleasure. Aro crawled back up, gently slipping between her legs and she felt his manhood against her entrance, making her shudder as he kissed her again, making Saphira open her eyes and locking with his. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed his neck, nibbling his skin and hearing a deep, growling moan escape his lips made her smile.

"Sei così bello," Aro purred, nibbling the lobe of Saphira's ear, feeling her shudder underneath him. "Are you ready to let me in? We can stop if it…"

"Shut up and claim me," Saphira interrupts seductively, licking his cheek and kissing him.

Aro growled with desire before gently pushing in, making Saphira tense slightly as she feels his manhood fill her whole. She let out a deep moan as she feels her virginity break, it did hurt a little, but as Aro began moving his hips, she also started moving hers with him. Aro smiled, glad that Saphira was not uncomfortable and filled with pleasure, she dug her nails into his shoulders as the pleasure intensifies.

"Ti amo," Saphira purred, looking at him in the eyes with a loving smile.

"Sei la mia rosa," He replied, brushing a strand of hair from her eyes as he continued rocking his hips with hers. "Ti amo."

Saphira wrapped her legs around his hips, grinding against him as she moved her hands over his chest gently. Her moans were loud and she felt her climax coming already. She smiled at him and gripped the sheets of the bed, his hands gently moved over hers, kissing her as he growls in pleasure and desire, ensuring that Saphira enjoyed the first time thoroughly. Saphira knew they could do more, but she was also tired and Aro didn't want to overdo it with her tonight.

"Aro, il mio piacere è al culmine, fallo durare fino a quando dormo," Saphira murmured with a grin.

"Your wish is my command," Aro responds as he intensifies his thrusts.

Saphira let out a few screams of surprise and pleasure from the increased intensity, her body was trembling from the pleasure and she was loving every moment of it. Body suddenly tensed and a jolt of pleasure trembled through her as she climaxed, screaming against Aro's lips as he kissed her, wrapping his arms around her and lifting her for a hug, rubbing her back with his hands, feeling her whole shape. Saphira smiled and fell back onto the bed, her hair a mess against the pillows with Aro leaning down over her.

"It's time for sleep Saphira," Aro cooed, kissing her lips briefliy. "Buonanotte tesoro."

Saphira kissed him before feeling him slip out of her, making her groan in response as she enjoyed the feeling. But she looked forward to Caius and Marcus giving her such pleasure. Aro gently pulled the covers over them as Saphira huddled against him, settling in for the night and falling into a deep sleep, her mind going over the ceremony and the moment she had with the vampire and dreaming of it through the night.

 **Translation:**

 **Il mio amore: My love**

 **Ci vediamo domani mattina, amore mio: I'll see you in the morning, my loves**

 **Buonanotte tesoro: Goodnight sweetheart**

 **Sei così bello: You are so beautiful.**

 **Ti amo: I love you**

 **Sei la mia rosa: You're my rose**

 **il mio piacere è al culmine, fallo durare fino a quando dormo: my pleasure is at it's peak, make it last until I sleep**


End file.
